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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28666014">Blast From The Past</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyar1ka/pseuds/cyar1ka'>cyar1ka</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Blast From The Past Series [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 04:40:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>41,554</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28666014</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyar1ka/pseuds/cyar1ka</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Din unexpectedly has a blast from the past in the form of an old flame, and a child? Old memories come to the surface.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Din Djarin/Original Female Character(s), Din Djarin/Reader, Din Djarin/You, The Mandalorian/Reader, The Mandalorian/You</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Blast From The Past Series [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2283083</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>67</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Blast From The Past</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Set after Grogu is already with Luke. (Chapter 16)</p><p>Warnings: Language, some fluff, ANGST, SMUT, slight breeding kink, cum play, dirty talk, unprotected sex (WRAP IT UP!), oral (female receiving) 18+ only please</p>
    </blockquote><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Din unexpectedly has a blast from the past. Set after Grogu is already with Luke. (Chapter 16)</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Language, some fluff, ANGST, slow burn, SMUT, slight breeding kink, cum play, dirty talk, unprotected sex (WRAP IT UP!), oral (female receiving) 18+ only please</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><h1>
  <strong>Din’s POV</strong>
</h1><hr/>
<p>Din was tired. He’d been making his way around the system looking for a quarry and he was getting annoyed with how difficult this one had made it. The quarry had jumped from system to system in attempts to slow down his efforts, but they were only about a day ahead of him. Din looked around the market on Sacorria and his eyes landed on a familiar-looking figure. <em>No, it can’t be,</em> Din thought to himself as he scanned the figure’s body, remembering the curves that he’d grown to know so well many, many moons ago. He watched the figure speak to a vendor and it took all of Din’s self-control not to approach. He had a quarry to find, after all. Din let out an annoyed sigh as he made a mental note to come back to this planet after he’d found the quarry and turned him in. Turning away from that side of the market, and away from the figure, Din weaved his way around people and vendors, tracking the quarry.</p>
<p>He entered a cantina and looked around, noticing that the cantina was sparsely populated except for the bartender and a few patrons. None of which were his quarry. Din sighed and walked out of the cantina and made his way to another cantina. Still nothing. The tracking fob’s beeping was still not steady enough to signify that the quarry was close as Din made his way through the town checking each cantina and every cantina. No such luck. Din decided to check another town on the planet tomorrow; he wanted to get some rest before moving on to the next down.  He made his way to an empty part of town before he fired up the jetpack and flew towards his ship, making sure to remember which town it was that he saw the familiar face.</p>
<p>After a few moments, he’d finally landed at the ship and made his way inside. He put down his blaster and pressed a button on his vambrace to close the hatch to his new ship. It wasn’t anything like the Crest, but it got the job done, and it was now home. After he’d reunited the Child with the Jedi, he’d made finding a new ship his top priority. It took some time, but he managed to find a ship that would suit his needs. After Din acquired the new ship, he’d gone to Karga to inquire about work and Karga was overjoyed to hear Din was going back to bounty hunting.</p>
<p>“A fine choice, for a fine hunter,” Karga had said as he clapped Din on the shoulder. Din smiled at the memory. He’d come a long way since meeting the Child, and he was glad to have made some friends along the way. Din walked over to his bunk and began to strip himself of the Beskar that adorned his body. He set the pieces of armor down and then removed his helmet, setting it down gently by his bunk. He sighed as he climbed into bed and laid on his back, looking at the ceiling longingly. Din thought back to times before he’d met the Child and embarked on his quest to find the Jedi. He reminisced about the mysterious figure he’d seen at the market and how he’d come across their path. Din let out a long sigh as he thought of how things at come to fruition and how he’d left things. Din closed his eyes and remembered.</p><hr/>
<p>
  <strong>-FLASHBACK-</strong>
</p>
<p>Din had come across you by accident. He hadn’t expected to see anyone in the forest besides the bounty he was tasked to bring in, so he’d been caught off guard at the sight of you bathing in the river, softly humming to yourself. Din blushed under his helmet as he watched you dip yourself into the water and come back up, droplets rolling down your body. Din felt his pants tighten and felt heat creep up his face. He really shouldn’t be looking. Din turned away but the sound of your voice caught his attention. You began to sing, and he found himself rooted to the spot entranced by the beautiful sound of your voice. Much like a man captured by a siren’s call. Din turned back to observe you from the thicket of trees, carefully hidden away from your sight. He watched as you shook the water out of your hair and made your way to the shore, your body moving to catch the light, and his breath caught in his throat. Not only did you have an angelic voice, but your body was that of a fierce warrior and adorned in tattoos, and Din couldn’t help but let out a little whine. Dank farrik, he really needed to find that bounty. Din shook all thoughts of you away and turned around, changing the settings on his visor to show the tracks of the fugitive. He wanted nothing more than to turn back around and approach you, but he thought better of it. He was sure you’d somehow be a little put off by a strange man approaching you in the woods, let alone a fully armored Mandalorian. Din made his way through the forest and heard the tracking fob’s beeping pick up. Finally, Din thought.</p>
<p>Din made quick work of finding the bounty and getting them back to the Crest and freeze them in carbonite. He was ready to head off-planet but decided to take his time. After all, he was in no rush and he needed to stop in town to get some supplies anyways. He made his way towards the town and as he rounded a corner to go to the nearest market, he felt something collide with his chest. He looked down at the culprit and came face to face with you. Din sucked in a breath and gazed into your eyes as you looked up at him, eyes wide and out of breath, clutching a cloak to your body.</p>
<p>“Oh, I am so sorry!” you exclaimed, looking up at Din and then over your shoulder. Din picked up on the way your body had tensed as you looked behind you and he was immediately on the alert.</p>
<p>“It’s no problem,” he replied as he tilted his helmet down at you. Your eyes widened at his voice, caught off guard by the deepness and rugged tone of it.</p>
<p>“I – uh – am trying to get away from some people, so if you could excuse me,” you said as you took a step to the side. Din heard voices ahead as three figures walked into view and he felt your body tense up at the sight of them.</p>
<p>“There she is!” shouted one of them, as he pointed to you and his associates turned towards the two of you. Din shifted himself to stand between you and the group of men, sensing your unease.</p>
<p>“Hey, buddy, back the fuck off,” the second man said as they approached. Din looked at them in silence as you peeked out from behind him.</p>
<p>“She’s with us,” the third one announced. Din narrowed his eyes at the man through his visor.</p>
<p>“It would seem that she disagrees,” Din coolly replied. The men growled as they took out knives and spread out around Din, sizing him up. They’d never seen a Mandalorian but had heard stories. He pushed you away from him in an attempt to get you to run but you stood your ground, taking a strong stance. Din looked at you surprised and then looked back at the thugs, waiting for one of them to make the first move. As if reading his thoughts one of them lunged at the two of you. Din quickly countered and hit him in the chest, making him stagger a few feet back. The second man quickly took his place, thrusting the knife towards Din, as the third moved past Din to swipe at you. Din quickly sidestepped the man and watched as you maneuvered your body to dodge the blow and land a kick of your own to the man’s legs, knocking him to the ground, the knife clattering out of his hand. Din watched as the thug got up and swung at you, which you gracefully dodged by leaning your body back grabbing his wrist in the process. You proceeded to use the man’s weight against him to throw his body to the ground with a thud. The moment happened so fast that Din almost missed the first two men charging towards him.</p>
<p>“Look out!” you shouted, and Din’s instincts kicked in. He pushed out his arm and shot out his grappling hook, trapping the first man, making him fall to the ground. The second man took no notice and continued to advance as Din took the opportunity to crouch down and hoist the man over his shoulder, flipping him over onto the ground to land atop the man you disarmed. Din paused to survey the men groaning on the ground before turning to face you, a sight to behold. You shed the cloak and Din caught sight of your exposed arms and the tattoos that decorated your body. He sucked in a breath as your chest moved with each breath.</p>
<p>“Where did you learn to fight like that?” Din asked, curious as to how someone could move their body so gracefully with minimal effort. He saw a blush creep onto your cheeks, and you looked down at the ground as you scratched the back of your neck.</p>
<p>“I -uh – I learned growing up,” you said. “Thanks for that, by the way. I wouldn’t have been able to take all three of them on my own.”</p>
<p>“It’s not a problem. 3 to 2 aren’t bad odds. I’ve been in worse,” he coolly replied. You nod your head as you turned around to pick up your cloak and draped it over your body once again, before facing Din.</p>
<p>“I’d like to buy you a drink,” you said. “It’s the least I can do.” Din shook his head, knowing he wouldn’t be able to drink it anyways.</p>
<p>“There’s no need,” he replied as the men groaned out behind him. “Though we should probably leave before they get up.” You nod in agreement.</p>
<p>“There must be some way I can repay you,” you said. “Do you need anything from the market? Supplies? Food?” Din thought for a moment, not wanting to ask anything of you, but realizing you’d probably keep pushing until he gave you an answer.</p>
<p>“Are you any good with fixing up a ship?” he asked, hopeful.</p>
<p>“You’re in luck,” you beamed, “I also grew up tinkering with ships and machines. Lead the way.” Din smiled under his helmet and turned to lead you back to the Crest, thanking the Maker that he’d found someone to fix the navigation system on the Crest and also for the fact that someone was you.</p>
<p>
  <strong>-END FLASHBACK-</strong>
</p><hr/>
<p>Din exhaled at the memory of you staying up all night talking and working on the Crest, the most he’d ever talked to anyone in his life. There was just something about you that made Din open up and want to get to know you. He learned that you had grown up on Corellia and taught yourself how to fight and tinker with ships while working for the White Worms. You learned his real name and the story of how he became a Mandalorian. Once he’d found out that you were a pilot, he’d invited you to join him as part of his crew since he needed someone to help with keeping the Crest in good shape and you were good company. He had surprised himself with that offer. You’d quickly agreed and beamed at the thought of getting off the retched planet you’d been residing in for some time. You’d traveled with Din for quite a while, quickly becoming friends but beneath it, all Din harbored feelings for you and wanted more. But he never voiced them in fear of rejection. You were such a beautiful woman and he felt unworthy of being with you. Din groaned as he thought back to the night things forever changed between the two of you.</p><hr/>
<p>
  <strong>-FLASHBACK-</strong>
</p>
<p>You’d been traveling with Din for several months now, helping him around the Crest, and the occasional bounty. He’d been surprised at your eagerness to help with that, but after witnessing you fight the first night, he changed his mind and agreed, but with the condition that you only go on hunts that weren’t for dangerous criminals. You’d begrudgingly agree, and Din had been satisfied, knowing you wouldn’t be in harm’s way. However, the bounty on Canto Bight proved to be anything but easy or safe.</p>
<p>The night had started like any other. You and Din were looking for a gambler who had owed some very powerful people a lot of money and a bounty had been placed on their head. You made your way through one side of the casino while Din made his way through the other, eyes scanning for any indication of the bounty. The tracking fob was useless in a place this populated so he had to rely on the rest of the information he’d been given and the photo of the man, which was quite old at that point.</p>
<p>As he watched a group of people at a table cheer Din suddenly heard a scuffle through the commlink, and he heard you groan in pain. Din immediately scanned the casino for any sign of you but saw nothing. He hastily changed his visor to show your footprints, having programmed them into his helmet after your first bounty with him and followed them to an alleyway where he found you curled up on the ground, cowering. You peered up at Din as you heard his near-silent footsteps and he gazed at your beaten face that already had bruises forming. Din clenched his fists and thought about what he’d do when he found out who’d done this to you. You let out a groan and Din crouched down to help you up. As you took his hand and tried to hoist yourself up your knees buckled beneath you and you collapsed back onto the ground with a cry of pain, gripping Din’s hand tightly.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” you breathed out. Din bent down and shifted you, placing one arm under your knees and the other behind your back, and then lifted you with little to no effort. Had you been in better condition you would’ve swooned at the sight and the feel of Din’s body as you pressed against him, but you were too weak to acknowledge the fact. Din made his way through the city towards the Crest as carefully as he could without bumping you against anything, fearing he’d hurt you even more. Once you both arrived at the Crest, he gently laid you down on his bunk and hurriedly went to get the medkit for the bacta spray. He came back and gingerly repositioned you so that you leaned back against him, back to his chest as he cradled your head and gave you the bacta. You let out a groan as you opened your eyes to look up at him.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” you whispered out, before closing your eyes again. Din observed you silently as your breathing evened out and you drifted off into a dreamless sleep. He sat there for what felt like forever, just enjoying the comfort that your mere presence brought him. He’d never met someone so full of life who broke down his barriers and made him feel like he wasn’t alone. Din looked at your bruised face and felt his heart seize up at the sight. Your eye had darkened considerably, and your lip was busted with dried blood on it. You had several bruises littering your arms and Din’s eyes zeroed in on the marks around your neck, seeing the imprints of fingers in various spots. His blood began to boil at the notion that someone had harmed you and almost killed you. You wouldn’t have been in that situation if you hadn’t been seen with Din looking for the bounty, clearly making you stand out from the crowd as a companion to a Mandalorian. Din clenched his fists in rage as he thought of you being attacked by some lowlife and how he wasn’t there to save you. He knew that you were a seasoned fighter, but someone had obviously gotten the jump on you and it wrecked him with worry.</p>
<p>He never wanted you to get hurt, which is why he made you promise to only come on hunts that weren’t dangerous, but yet you’d gotten hurt. Din studied your sleeping form as you turned over in your slumber and he saw more marks on your back from your attacker. Din’s heart broke some more at how beaten you were, and he was going to do everything he could to fix it. Not trusting himself to collect the bounty alive, he set down his blaster and kicked off his boots. Next, he stripped off his armor and set it down, keeping the helmet on, before settling in his bunk behind you. Din pulled your body to rest against his as he pulled your back flush against his chest, offering you his warmth as you slept and the bacta healed. Din rested his head against the pillow but found that the angle wasn’t very comfortable. He contemplated his options and concluded that he was safe to take his helmet off with your back facing him and being in a bacta induced sleep. He strained his neck to lift his head and quietly detached the helmet from his head and set it down above his head. He sighed contentedly as he shifted so that he could nuzzle his nose into your hair and inhale your intoxicating scent. Just for one night. Din thought to himself as he tightened his arms around you and closed his eyes, drifting off with thoughts of you being with him and having a family together.</p><hr/>
<p>Sometime later, Din felt your body shift as you began to regain consciousness. Din wasn’t sure how long you’d both been asleep, but he knew that it had been quite some time since you were waking up on your own from the bacta. In the darkness, he could feel your body tense slightly at the feel of him behind you, but then relax as you realized who it was. You turned around to face him and Din held his breath as you trailed your hands up his torso and towards his face. You inhaled sharply as it came in contact with the stubble on his chin and you pulled your hand back quickly.</p>
<p>“It’s ok,” Din whispered, as you opened your eyes and realized that there was darkness blanketing the bunk.</p>
<p>“You – you don’t have your helmet on,” you stuttered out as you rested your hand lightly on his chest. Din smiled at your uncertainty and hesitation of being so close to him without his helmet on, his heart swelling at the respect that you held for him.</p>
<p>“It’s ok,” Din repeated, as he gently took your hand in his and brought it up to your face. You rested your hand against his cheek, and he angled his head further into your hand as you bit back a moan.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” you whispered as you remembered where you were and what had happened, pulling your thoughts away from Din and the lack of armor. Din nodded as he pulled your hand away and set it back down to his chest.</p>
<p>“What happened?” he questioned. You tensed at the memory.</p>
<p>“I – I’m actually not sure. One minute I was looking for the quarry and had spotted him going outside to the alleyway and I followed him. The next I feel something hit me from behind and someone knocked me down. I don’t remember much else except you showing up and finding me,” you explained as you remembered the pain you felt. The pressure of someone’s boot landing into your side and then hands-on your throat as you thrashed around trying to get your attacker off you. You recalled the faint smell of cigarettes and the gruffness in the voice as they told you that they’d sooner kill you than let a Mandalorian capture them alive. You shut your eyes as you felt tears prickle the edges, not wanting Din to know how terrified you were at the idea that you might’ve died and would never see him again, especially without telling him your feelings. You felt Din shift and take your hand again, silently bringing it to his lips and your breath hitched contact. You’d always envisioned Din to have the softest lips and you were not disappointed. Din turned your hand over and placed another gentle kiss into the palm of your hand and your heart swooned at the gesture.</p>
<p>“You’re safe now, cyar’ika,” he murmured, as you felt him shift the both of you, so you were on your back and he hovered above you. In the darkness, you could barely make out his form but could tell that he was extremely well built. Oh, maker. You thought feeling a blush creep up your cheeks at your proximity to the man. You felt Din’s breath on your face and bit your lip as his face neared yours, hand gripping his shirt tightly with anticipation. You felt him stop his descent and pull back slightly to press a gentle kiss to your forehead. You almost groaned out in disappointment but stopped yourself. Din was just being a good friend, there was no way he felt that way for you. Your heart tightened at the rejection and you let out a little sigh, almost unnoticeable to the bounty hunter above you, but his ears picked up on it. Din raised an eyebrow at your minute action and his mind reeled. Did you feel the same way about him that he felt for you?</p>
<p>Din thought for a moment and decided that last night was too far and he didn’t want to risk your safety ever again. He pressed another kiss to your forehead before getting up and pulling his helmet over his head. Suddenly the bunk filled with light as Din opened the door and climbed out, shutting it behind him wordlessly. You curled into yourself with a sigh, tears threatening to spill at his dismissal. You felt the Crest whir to life unexpectedly and were confused. Were you leaving Canto Bight? You felt the ship shake as it felt like you’d left the atmosphere and then a slight jolt as you jumped into hyperspace. You pressed your ear against the door and heard the distinct sound of boots coming down the ladder and you rapidly crawled away from the door. Not a moment later, the door opened and there he stood, sans Beskar save for the helmet, with his hands on his hips. You were riddled with confusion at what was going on. You hadn’t caught the bounty, yet Din had jumped you to hyperspace headed towards who knows where. You felt your throat go dry as Din stepped towards you and stop just at the foot of the bunk, looking at you through the visor. You grew anxious at the resounding silence in the Crest.</p>
<p>“Sweet girl,” Din breathed out quietly and you felt a rush of heat go straight to your core. The huskiness in his voice would’ve brought you to your knees had you been standing, so instead, you bit your lip and felt your face grow hot. Din maneuvered so he was on the bunk facing you and within seconds you were both consumed in darkness again. You sucked in a breath as you felt the bed shift with his weight and a hand on your ankle, dragging you down the bed towards him. You felt the bed dip around you as he came to rest both his hands on either side of your face, your eyes trying to adjust to the lack of lighting, while your face was clearly illuminated to him through the visor. He studied your face for a moment. Eyes glazed with need, cheeks flushed with desire, lip between your teeth to subdue a moan at the position you were in. Din smiled fondly as he brought his forehead down to rest against yours and closed his eyes for a moment. He thanked the Maker that you were still alive and with him and promised to show you just how much you meant to him. Din pulled back from you and you felt the bed shift once more before you heard the slight hiss of his helmet coming off. Your eyes widened slightly knowing that this, and the gesture before, meant a lot to Din and his culture. You heard the light clang of the helmet as Din set it down against the bunk and then the weight of his hand on your hip. You inhaled sharply at the feel of his bare hand on your skin, stroking small circles on your exposed hipbone. His hand felt so warm, and the heat radiating off him felt like the heat of a thousand suns, and you bit the inside of your cheek as a million impure thoughts ran through your head. Din slowly trailed his hand up from your hip, dragging your shirt up with it, until it came to rest beneath your breast. He dipped his head down closer to your face and you felt his breath tickle your lips.</p>
<p>“Is this ok?” He questioned, not wanting to overstep. You nodded slightly but then realized he couldn’t see you, so you did the next best thing. You tilted your head up and met his lips. You felt a spark at the contact and heat spread throughout your body. You brought your hands up to grasp Din’s neck and deepen the kiss, prodding his lips with the tip of your tongue waiting for him to grant you access. He wasted no time in accepting and your tongues battled for dominance. You gasped loudly into his mouth as you felt his hand reach up and cup your breast, pinching and pulling at your sensitive nipple. You moaned and threw your head back as he broke the kiss to trail sensual kisses down your neck, lightly nipping now and then. You felt him push your shirt farther up your body and then your nipple was engulfed in the wet heat of his mouth. You exhaled in surprise at the sensation and threaded your fingers through his hair, feeling the curls shift under your fingers as he continued his assault on your nipples, switching from one to the other while his fingers tweaked the unattended one in between.</p>
<p>“Ah-ah!” you cried out as he gently bit down on a nipple and your grip in his hair tightened, tugging slightly. Din grinned against your breast and repeated the action, loving the sounds you were emitting. He dragged his hand tantalizingly down your torso and stopped above the waistband of your pants, silently asking for permission. You bucked your hips up at him, indicating that you wanted more, and he happily obliged. Din slipped his hand under the waistband and made his way down to the apex of your legs.</p>
<p>“Oh maker,” you moaned out as you felt his fingers reach your slick folds. You heard Din let out an almost inaudible groan as he felt just how wet you were.</p>
<p>“Oh sweet girl, is this all for me?” Din teased, as he began to rub your clit ever so lightly, causing you to buck your hips up craving more pressure on your swollen nub.</p>
<p>“Nuh-uh! Yes! Yes, all for you!” you gasped out as he applied a little more pressure to your clit and slipped a finger into you at the same time.  It took everything in Din not to just take you how he wanted; he wanted to make this night last, fearing for tomorrow. He slipped a second finger into you as he began to pump them in and out, feeling your walls welcome the intrusion. He added a third finger as he sped up his motions and applied additional pressure onto your clit, loving how you were coming apart beneath him.</p>
<p>“Oh, oh!” You cried out as you felt your walls clench and a rush of wetness gush out of you and onto his hand. Din placed a kiss to your neck as you came with a jolt and then trailed his tongue ever so slowly upwards until he reached your earlobe, and gently bit it.</p>
<p>“You sound so kriffing beautiful when you come, cyar’ika,” he whispered into your ear as he removed his hand and brought them to your lips, lightly rubbing them against your lips. You opened your mouth and slipped your tongue out, catching his fingers and then taking them into your mouth, tasting yourself on his fingers. Din groaned out at the action and he felt his cock press uncomfortably against the front of his pants. He needed release. Badly. He withdrew his hand and made quick work of his belt and unzipped his pants to release his aching cock. You heard the distinct sound of him shuffling to release his hardened length and you brought your hands downward, reaching eagerly for his member. Grasping his swollen cock your eyes widened. He was as thick as your wrist and as long as your forearm. You weren’t sure if you’d be able to take him without some kind of assistance. You ran your finger across the head, catching his precum and smearing it around the tip of his cock as he threw his head back and let out a small groan. You reveled in the sounds you were eliciting from him, feeling empowered with the knowledge that you affected him just as strongly as he was you. You began to stroke him and felt him grow harder if that was even possible. You peppered kisses up his neck and as you picked up your speed and Din bucked his hips into your hand.</p>
<p>“Sweet girl, if you keep that up, I’m going to come,” he groaned out with a thrust before pulling his cock away from your soft warm hands. You felt Din shift his upper body away from you and heard a rustling before feeling the naked heat of his exposed chest. You suppressed a moan as you felt him lean over you and pull your hands away from his cock, raising them above your head. He peeled your shirt up and over your head, exposing your upper body to him. He then moved back onto his heels and tugged your pants off your legs in one swift motion. Din leaned forward and began to kiss his way up. First your ankle, then your knee, then your inner thigh. He switched to your other leg and a shiver ran down your spine as he made his way up your leg and stopped just shy of your dripping wet core.</p>
<p>In the darkness of the room, you could feel his gaze looking up at you as he blew warm air onto your core before slipping two fingers into your slick hole. You arched your back and moaned out, grabbing the sheets in a vice grip, your eyes rolling into the back of your head as he thrust his fingers in and out in a teasing manner before suddenly picking up the pace. You bucked your hips up to get more friction as he pistoned his thick digits into your gushing pussy, hearing the sloshing of your juices coating his fingers. He then brought his lips to your folds and licked a stripe up to your clit before wrapping his lips around the nub and sucking. Your vision exploding in a vision of white and you screamed out as your orgasm rippled through your body, feeling like electricity was shooting itself from your core to the tips of your fingers and toes.</p>
<p>“You taste so good, mesh’la,” Din growled out as he continued to lap at your center. “I could stay here and drink up your juices all day.” Your pussy throbbed at his words and you tried to inch away, feeling overly stimulated by his ministrations, already feeling another orgasm building. Din pressed his hand to your lower stomach stopping your movements as he continued to feast on your sweet nectar with a moan.</p>
<p>“I know you have one more in you, sweet girl,” he huskily said as he lightly bit down on your clit and curled his fingers, hitting your sweet spot. You thrust your hips up into his awaiting mouth as you felt more wetness rush out of you. Din covered your opening with his mouth as he drank you down before pulling away kissing your hipbones as he made his way up your body and capturing your lips in a searing kiss. He dipped his tongue into your mouth and your head spun at the taste of yourself on his lips. He pulled away for a moment to press his forehead against your again before grabbing the head of his leaking cock and pressing it against your opening.</p>
<p>“Cyar’ika, tell me to stop now if you don’t want this,” Din said softly as he rubbed his cock up and down your slit, collecting the wetness that was oozing out of you. Your heart swelled at how careful and caring he was being with you and you answered him by wrapping your legs around his waist and pulled his achingly hard cock to your heated core. Din groaned as you rocked your body against his trying to pull him inside of you and he let out a chuckle at your wanton efforts. You wanted, no, needed him to be inside of you. The desire to be fully sheathed inside of you was almost too much to bear and it drove him wild with lust. You whimpered beneath him and he felt his primal instincts take over, shoving himself into you without resistance. You cried out and bit down on his neck, feeling him stuff you to the brim with his enormous member, enjoying the fullness that he offered. He stilled for a moment, giving you time to adjust as you whined around him, feeling him twitch and throb inside of you. Din restrained himself as much as he could in order for you to adjust to his immense size as he pressed a gentle kiss on your shoulder.</p>
<p>“Din,” you moaned out, his name rolling off your tongue so sensually that he relished the way his name flowed so beautifully from your mouth.</p>
<p>“Say it again,” he commanded as he bit your shoulder and pulled his cock out ever so slightly. You whined at the feeling and gripped his shoulders tight.</p>
<p>“Din,” you groaned out in pleasure.</p>
<p>“Cyar’ika, if you keep saying my name like that, I won’t be able to hold back for much longer,” he said as he pressed into you again. You bit your lip at the thought of Din taking you roughly, ravaging you until you couldn’t walk. Your walls clenched around him at the image your mind conjured up, him flipping you over and drilling into your aching pussy like a man possessed.</p>
<p>“Don’t hold back,” you whispered as you tightened your legs around him further pulling him into your throbbing pussy. “Give me everything you’ve got. Stuff me full of your cock until I forget my own name.” Din lost himself. He drove into you until he could go no further, unleashing the beast inside him. Din grabbed your leg and hooked it over his shoulder as he drilled into you at a wild pace. You threw your head back in pleasure as he gripped your leg firmly that you knew you’d have bruises in the morning. Din took his free hand and pressed it to your lower abdomen, feeling his length poke inside of you as he plunged into your pussy continuously at a brutal pace.</p>
<p>“Taking my cock so well, sweet girl,” he moaned out as he picked up the pace. You arched your back at his words as you met his thrusts with your own and whimpered as his hand pressed harder against you.</p>
<p>“Ugh, Din, p-please. Do-don’t st-st-stop,” you whined out as he railed unceremoniously railed into you. You couldn’t get enough of him and never wanted this pleasure to end. “Gi-give me ever-everything. Fill me up.” At your words Din felt his cock twitch as he imagined you round with his seed, glowing like the angel you were. His movements became sloppy as he pushed into you one last time before he stilled and you felt his cock pulsate and shoot his seed deep inside of you, some of it dripping out onto the sheets. He pulled out of you and collapsed next to you as your combined fluids leaked out onto the bed and he swiped some of it with his fingers and brought it to his mouth with a moan. Not wanting to be left out you took his hand and brought it back down to your center to collect some of your joined essences before bringing it to your lips. Din’s mind reeled at the naughtiness of your actions and he felt his cock begin to harden again. He didn’t know how he’d be able to control himself around you after sharing such an experience. His mind was inundated with images of bending you over every part of the Crest, taking you on every surface that he could. In the refresher. In the cockpit in the pilot’s chair. In the cargo hull against his weapons cache.</p>
<p>Din’s mind raced with those thoughts and then the image changed. It shifted to one of you round with his child, cradling your fullness as he came up behind you to engulf you in his arms in a loving embrace. In his vision he had no helmet on, no Beskar covering his body. It was just the two of you and your unborn child. Din’s heart tightened in his chest at the idea. A very far-off, very unattainable idea. He was Mandalorian. He could never remove his helmet around another living being unless it was in a marriage, and he doubted that you’d even want that. You were too much of a free spirit, being a fighter and survivor all your life. Settling down was a farfetched dream and he sighed heavily. Feeling the shift in his demeanor you rolled onto your side, resting your cheek against his chest and tracing light circles on his shoulder.</p>
<p>“Speak to me,” you stated your voice laced with concern. Din took your hand and kissed your fingertips.</p>
<p>“It’s nothing, mesh’la. Nothing to concern yourself with,” he replied nonchalantly. You raised your eyebrow, knowing that he was deflecting.</p>
<p>“Tell me,” you pushed as Din let out a sigh, knowing you wouldn’t back down until you got an answer.</p>
<p>“I just – you were hurt because of me. You almost died because of me,” he whispered out, his voice trailing off at the vision of your beaten body on the ground.</p>
<p>“I’m alright. You saved me,” you said as you pressed a kiss to his chest. “I’m not going anywhere.” Din’s lips moved into a tight-lipped smile, still feeling guilty about what happened to you.</p>
<p>“I – I almost,” Din began, “I almost lost you.” You pressed your hand to his chest over his heart and felt it beating against his chest.</p>
<p>“As I said, I’m not going anywhere,” you replied. Din turned his head to press a kiss to your forehead before taking your hand in his.</p>
<p>“Sleep, cyar’ika. You need rest,” Din instructed as you felt your eyes grow heavy. You hummed in agreement before your eyes closed and you fell into a dreamless sleep.</p>
<p>
  <strong>-END FLASHBACK-</strong>
</p><hr/>
<p>Din spent several more days searching for the bounty before finally capturing him on Corellia, the irony of where the quarry was captured was not lost on him. Din scoffed as he shifted the carbonite slab into the storage of his ship and made his way to the cockpit, firing up the ship and quickly making the jump to hyperspace headed for Nevarro. He landed on Nevarro sooner than he thought and quickly finished his business there, collecting his payment and resupplying, before getting back on his ship to make his way to where he last saw you, hoping that you’d still be there. Sacorria was not a place that Din enjoyed, but it wasn’t as bad compared to places like Canto Bight or Kessel. It was still a weird planet to be on and he didn’t want to spend too much time there, but the thought of seeing you again after so many years made him push on.</p>
<p>Being a renowned bounty hunter meant he could find anyone, anywhere, but somehow, you’d eluded him. He scoured the markets looking for any sign of you but found none. He’d resorted to asking some of the vendors if they’d seen you and to his great joy one of the vendors informed him of where he could find you and was mildly surprised when he was told that it was a school. Din made his way through the town before finally coming to a halt, standing in the shadows out of sight to observe the building that you were suspected to be in.</p>
<p>He heard the sound of children emerging and slinked farther back in the shadows as he watched the doors open and children come rushing out cheerfully. He waited patiently for you to appear and was not disappointed when he saw you step out into the street. He marveled at how the years didn’t change you. You still looked as angelic as ever and he sucked in a breath as he admired your beauty. Oh, how he’d missed you. He watched as you waved goodbye to the children as they each departed from the school and he decided to approach you once the last child left. As Din was about to step out of the shadows to move towards you, he spotted one more child emerge from the school and you turned to crouch down and greet them, embracing them tightly. Din observed you with the little girl and studied the two of you. The young girl didn’t seem to be just a student at the school, that much was certain. From the looks of things, Din guessed that she was your daughter. Din’s heart ached at the thought of you having found a husband and raising a child with them. Someone who wasn’t him.</p>
<p>Din studied you and then the girl. He noticed that you both had the same nose, the same-colored hair that framed your faces. But her eyes. Her eyes did not match your own. In fact, her eyes looked much like - Din’s breath caught in his throat and his heart plummeted to his stomach. It couldn’t be, he thought as he watched you take the little girl’s hand and begin to walk in the direction opposite from him, swinging your hands together. Din was speechless. The little girl couldn’t be more than five, maybe six years old. He did the math in his head and his eyes grew wide. There was no way. There was no kriffing way that he was a father to that beautiful little girl that you were with. There was no way that this was happening. Regret and guilt coursed through his veins as he thought of what had transpired between the two of you to result in where you both were now. Him alone and without his foundling, and you with a daughter. A daughter that he had unknowingly fathered. His heart was filled with dread as he thought of how he’d left things with you many years ago, not knowing what he was really leaving behind.</p><hr/>
<p>
  <strong>-FLASHBACK-</strong>
</p>
<p>Din gazed down at you as you slept comfortably in his arms. Last night had been the greatest night in his life and he wanted to have it forever. But he knew that it was not meant to be. In his heart Din knew that he couldn’t keep putting you in harm’s way. He knew that you deserved to live in peace and away from the life that he lived. Away from all the turmoil and risk that he took every day. Away from the dangers that bounty hunting poised. Din knew that deep down, even though he loved you, he had to let you go. He knew that if you stuck around him, you’d end up dead and he would hate himself for the rest of his life.</p>
<p>Din looked down at you as he caressed your face with the back of his hand, brushing some hair that had fallen over your eyes. He slowly got up from the bunk and put on a pair of pants before looking over at you to make sure that you were still in a deep slumber. He sighed as he closed the door to his bunk and made his way up the ladder to the cockpit, not worrying that you’d wake up and see him without his helmet on since he’d thoroughly worn you out and the bacta was still in your system, keeping you in a deep sleep. Din sat down in the pilot’s chair and looked at the coordinates before entering in a new set. Nevarro could wait. He had to take you somewhere safe. Din confirmed the coordinates for Naboo and leaned back in the chair.</p>
<p>He thought of you sleeping soundly in his bunk and how you’d probably hate him tomorrow, but he’d rather deal with you hating him for the rest of his life than you ending up dead and gone forever because of him. Din sighed as he got up and made his way back down to where you rested. He pulled a shirt over his head before lightly pulling his helmet off from above where you rested. He donned the rest of his armor and took a moment to just admire your sleeping form, trying to memorize the lines of your body, committing everything he could about you to memory. Din felt the ship exit hyperspace and made his way back to the cockpit to safely land the Crest on Naboo. He checked on you one more time before departing the ship and making his way to a hotel and reserving a room for a month. The Nabooan at the front desk looked at Din oddly when he’d stated how long he wanted to have the room, but upon seeing the credits she gladly handed him the key.</p>
<p>Din swiftly went back to the ship and opened the bunk to see that you were still sound asleep throughout his absence. He smiled sadly as he looked over your body before picking up a shirt and pants and carefully dressing you, making sure that you wouldn’t wake up. He then walked around the Crest picking up your things and putting them into a rucksack before slinging it over his shoulder. He managed to maneuver you out of his bunk without disturbing you, but as he walked off the Crest and towards the hotel you shifted and whimpered, burying your head into his chest, nudging his cold Beskar with your warm cheek. Din paused to make sure that you weren’t waking up and then continued to the room that he’d gotten. He set you down on the bed tenderly and pulled the curtains shut to give you privacy for when you woke.</p>
<p>Din came and laid beside you, drinking you in while he still had time. After a few moments, he got up, lifting his helmet slightly, and kissed your forehead, before placing a chaste kiss on your lips, committing the feeling of your lips to the depths of his memory. Din peeked out at the window and saw that the sun was going to rise soon, and he observed you sadly. He hadn’t left yet, but he already missed you. Din placed your rucksack on the chair beside the bed and pulled the covers over you, making sure that you were comfortable and warm in the bed. He then wrote a note on the bedside and walked out of the room, making sure to not look back otherwise he knew he’d never be able to leave. Din made his way back to the Crest with a heavy heart and he sighed deeply when he sat in the pilot’s seat. He fired up the engines and flew off the planet, ignoring the tears that had begun streaming down his face beneath his helmet as he flew away from the only person who had captured his heart.</p>
<p>
  <strong>-END FLASHBACK-</strong>
</p><hr/><h2>To be continued…..</h2>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Don't Let Me Down</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Picks up where we left off in part one. Reader finds out Din is gone and finds out about her pregnancy. Told from Reader’s POV.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: ANGST, so much angst. We’ll get some fluff in there in the next update – hopefully. 😉 A little violence, child birth, labor, language</p><p>Song: Don't Let Me Down by The Chainsmokers</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><h1>
  <strong>Reader’s POV</strong>
</h1><hr/><p>You awoke to feel the soft cushion beneath you, which was odd considering the bunk you’d fallen asleep in was much firmer. You opened your eyes and blinked away the sleep, taking a moment to observe your surroundings, realizing that you were no longer on the Crest. You stretched your arms and smiled at the thought that Din had brought you to a hotel to rest after your passionate night together. You gazed around the room confusion flooded you as you realized that you were alone. <em>Had he gone back for the bounty on Canto Bight?</em> <em>Surely, he’d wait for me to wake up.</em> You sat up in the vast bed and took in the room once more. You spied your rucksack on a chair in the corner and your boots beside it, but no sign of the Mandalorian. You swung your legs over the side of the bed and looked at the nightstand, glimpsing a note on it. You picked up the paper and your heart seized in your chest. You felt tears prickle the edges of your eyes as you took in the words on the page.</p><p>
  <strong>Cyar’ika,</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>I am so sorry.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>I hope one day you can forgive me.</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>Goodbye.</strong>
</p><p>You felt empty. All the joy you’d felt just hours ago now gone. All the love you’d felt was replaced by an empty void. Despair seeped through your body and dug itself deep into your bones, freezing your soul. He had left you. He had taken off like a coward in the night and left. You crumpled the paper in your hands and hurled it across the room as the sorrow quickly turned into anger. White-hot anger boiled through your body and you felt rage bubble up inside you. How dare he do this to you. How dare he make you feel alive and loved. How dare he take your heart, and all that you offered, and stomp on it as if it were a womp rat beneath his boot. Fury was all you felt. You had almost died and this was how he decided to leave things with you. He didn’t have the decency to say goodbye to your face. <em>He fled in the dead of night like a no-good rakeweed,</em> you seethed. You put on your boots and made your way down to the receptionist of the hotel, hoping to get some answers. As you approached the desk you took notice that you were on Naboo. <em>At least he picked a pretty planet.</em></p><p>“Hello, how can I be of service?” she greeted. You looked at her with no emotion and she felt a chill run down her spine.</p><p>“Have you seen a Mandalorian?” you questioned. She pondered things for a moment and recognition registered on her face.</p><p>“Oh, yes! He was here just last night and paid for a room,” she replied. “It was a little odd since he’d paid for a month in advance, but who knows with these bounty hunters.” You nodded at her and turned on your heel and walked back to the room without another word. Your mind reeled at the revelation that he’d paid for you to stay in the room a month.</p><p>“How sweet,” you scoffed to yourself as you grabbed your rucksack and emptied the contents onto the bed, examining what Din had left you. You shook your head at his name. He was no one to you now. Just another Mandalorian in the galaxy. You scanned the items and took note of everything these, glad that nothing was missing but also slightly saddened that he’d taken the time to pack up everything. You picked up your datapad and tried to figure out what the kriffing hell you were going to do now. You didn’t have a ship or a weapon. You were stranded on a planet with nothing but the contents of your rucksack and a handful of credits. You heaved out a sigh as you looked at the datapad again, entering in information to try and find a job that would pay you enough to try and get a ship or at least passage to another planet. You weren’t sure what you were going to do, but at least you had a month to stay in the hotel to try and get your bearings. You cursed Mando for doing this to you and you swore that if you ever saw him again you wouldn’t hold back from giving him a piece of your mind.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong> <em>-TWO MONTHS LATER-</em> </strong>
</p><p>You wiped the sweat from your brow as you finished installing the new hyperdrive into the Corellian cruiser. You’d been working as a mechanic for the last month and a half and you were grateful for the job. Albeit it was sometimes a lot of work, you were happy that you were able to put your talents to use. The owner of the shipyard had been impressed with your knack for knowing what was wrong with a ship and fixing it quickly and had offered you a job the day you walked into their shop. You’d saved up enough to rent out a little apartment nearby and all thoughts of the Mandalorian had so far been few and far between. Now and then you’d see something that reminded you of him, from some armor in the distance or the sound of a ship landing that reminded you of the Crest, but you paid it no mind. You didn’t want to get your hopes up that he’d come back for you, only to end up disappointed.</p><p>You made your way back to your apartment after you finished up with the cruiser and felt your stomach churn. The last couple of weeks you’d gained a little weight and your breasts had been a little sore, but you chalked it up to the stress that you’d been going through with your new job and things with Mando. You needed to focus on getting off this damn planet and trying to find something else to do with your time, and you had half a mind to repair a ship and steal it just to hunt Mando down and rip into him. You were tempted, but you knew that if he didn’t want to be found then the task would be nearly impossible. You were no bounty hunter. You sighed as you entered your kitchen and made yourself some food, your nose filling with the aroma of some fresh fruit you’d gotten at the market and some bread you’d made the night before.</p><p>After dinner, you’d taken a hot shower to try and rid your mind of the thoughts that plagued you, but to no avail. You found yourself sitting on the floor of the shower, knees against your chest, tears streaming down your face as you remembered the way you’d felt when you woke up alone and abandoned in the Nabooan hotel and the nightmares that tortured you at night. The nights that nightmares came you often awoke in a cold sweat, fingers gripping the sheets, knuckles white as you gasped for breath. The nightmares were decreasing steadily but still occurred and they always seemed to be the same kinds. The most reoccurring nightmare was one where you were back on Canto Bight tracking the bounty with Mando, but instead of him rescuing you, he’d merely left you behind to succumb to your wounds and die. That one always ended up waking with tears running down your face. The second nightmare you’d often get was one where you were running through a forest in the dark and you were being hunted. The assailant always managed to catch you, but you never saw their face, and they’d always drive a knife through your heart before you woke up screaming. The third and rare nightmare that tormented you wasn’t as much a nightmare as it was a dream. An unattainable and unrealistic dream.</p><p>You dreamt that you were in a field of flowers, a river in the distance with a waterfall. You’d find yourself running your hands through the tall grass as you soaked up the warm sun and would feel warm hands circle your waist before coming around to cradle your swollen belly. A smile would appear on your face as you felt your unborn child kick against the mysterious hands, and you’d lay your own hands atop theirs. You’d turn around and would come face to face with the elusive Mandalorian their helmet donned on their head. You’d then bring your hands up to the helmet and gently lift it off their face, but in every dream, you were met with a dark void where his face would be. Those nights you’d wake up feeling grief ripping through your body. You longed for the dream to be true, to feel the love and the joy of being in his arms again. To feel the swell of your belly as evidence that your love had blossomed into the form of a beautiful child. A life that you both created. But you knew that it was a mere fantasy. One that would never happen. Those nights you’d bawl your eyes out until you ran out of tears and the sun would flood the room with its brightness. Oh, how you missed being in his company. Hearing the rasp of his voice as he spoke through the modulator, feeling his hand grazing yours as he handed you a part for the ship or a bowl of bone broth. What you missed the most, however, was how you felt in his arms the night you’d both given into your desires. You yearned for the warmth of his body, the feel of his lips on yours, the feeling of his heart beating beneath your head. Your heart ached at the memory of how he felt, the strength of his body, the way your soul soared as you’d merged into one. You hated him so much. And yet you couldn’t help but still love him. You felt a deep pain in your soul that could never be erased but your soul longed for him. You knew that deep down you would never be able to hate him more than you loved him, but the pain he had caused you was immeasurable.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong> <em>-ONE AND A HALF MONTHS LATER-</em></strong>
</p><p>You groaned as you clutched onto the sides of the sink, splashing water on your face to clean off the leftover vomit. The last few weeks you’d been feeling ill and the last couple of days you’d had trouble keeping your food down. You felt your stomach churn again as you leaned over and emptied the contents of your stomach, or at least what was left of it, into the toilet for the third time that morning. You groaned as you wiped off your face and leaned your forehead against the cold steel of the sink. You didn’t want to miss work again, but you knew that you wouldn’t be able to fix anything with how horrible you felt. You sent a quick holomessage to your boss letting them know that this stomach bug you had was still going strong and you wouldn’t be in and they replied that you didn’t have to worry and to take as much time as you needed to get better. You groaned as you made your way to your room and laid on the bed, feeling like you’d been hit with a ton of bricks. You stared at the ceiling and thought about the last few weeks. You’d been feeling very ill, throwing up at all hours of the day, and your body had definitely changed. You’d gained some more weight and your breasts felt like they’d doubled in size. You racked your brain for the last time you’d had your period and your eyes widened with realization. It had been nearly four months since you’d had your last cycle. You quickly sat up in bed with a gasp.</p><p>“No no no no no. This can’t be happening. This can’t be kriffing happening!” you exclaimed as you swung your legs over the side and slipped into your shoes. There was no way. Absolutely no way. <em>Maker, help you.</em> You rushed out of your apartment and made your way to the medbay nearby. You were greeted by a medical droid as you walked inside.</p><p>“Hello, how may I assist you?” it greeted.</p><p>“Um. Uh, I need to – uh – check if I’m – uh – pregnant,” you stuttered out, face heating up with embarrassment.</p><p>“Certainly,” it replied as it pointed to a door. “Please make your way to room 3 and we will assist you.” You nodded and walked through the door, checking the room numbers as you walked by. Finally, you made it to room 3 and stepped inside, taking a seat on the chair in the middle of the room. A medical droid stepped into the room through a door opposite of you and stopped in front of a cabinet.</p><p>“Please deposit a urine sample into this cup and dress in this gown. We will check your vitals for any signs of a secondary lifeform momentarily.” A shiver ran down your spine as the droid handed you a little cup and folded gown. The way they talked weirded you out but then again, they were droids. Bedside manner wasn’t really something that was programmed into them. You stepped into the refresher and quickly did your business before going back into the room and taking a seat again. The droid pressed a few buttons and you found yourself reclining back on the seat as the droid moved to stand beside you, its arm outstretched with some kind of instrument.</p><p>“Please relax as we process your urine sample and examine you,” it stated. You focused on the ceiling as the droid processed your pee and made a humming noise before scanning your body, stopping at the bottom of your abdomen. It took a moment before the droid said anything and the silence was deafening.</p><p>“It appears that we have detected a secondary lifeform in your womb.” Your heart thumped in your chest; your throat tightened suddenly losing your breath. <em>Oh, maker.</em></p><p>“How – how – uh – far along?” you squeaked out. The droid hummed before it projected some numbers on its arm.</p><p>“According to our calculations and your hormone levels from the urine sample, it appears you are almost four months along. Approximately fifteen weeks to be exact.” You shook your head in disbelief. This couldn’t be happening.</p><p>“Please make your way to the pharmacy once you are dressed to pick up your supplements. A holoprojection of your offspring will be available as well,” the droid stated before it made its way back through the door and disappeared, leaving you to your thoughts. You dropped your head into your hands, the information still fresh in your mind. You were pregnant. With <em>his</em> child. Your worst fear had manifested, and you went numb. You were alone, on your own, and with a child. You were burdened with thoughts of raising a child on your own, and you had no idea what to do. You had no family. Nobody to turn to with this news. The only person who you’d confided in had left you stranded on a planet with no regard to your wellbeing. And now you were growing a little life inside of you. Because of him. Your hands went to your belly as you felt the slight bump. How had you not noticed that it was there? How had you not seen the signs of this impending realization? Tears brimmed on the edge of your eyes and you felt them run down your face as you cradled your belly. A little life was forming inside of you and it would never know of its father. It would never see the face of the man who had captured your heart completely, who had panted his seed within you. You sobbed as the reality further sunk in. You would bear this child alone. You would carry and deliver this babe without any support. Nobody there to hold your hand as you endured the pain of pushing it out of you. No one to wipe the sweat from your brow and whisper words of encouragement as you birthed your child. You were truly and completely alone in this.</p><p>After a few moments, you composed yourself and got dressed. You navigated through the building until you got to the pharmacy and went up to the window.</p><p>“Name?” the droid at the window asked. You gave it your name and rocked back and forth on your feet nervously.</p><p>“Here are your supplements. Please come back in two months for a refill. Included in this is the holoprojection. Is there anything else we can assist you with?”</p><p>“No,” you replied with a shake of your head. You took the bag from the droid and gripped it tightly to your chest as you made your way back to your home. You needed to figure out what to do in the next few months since you were almost halfway along. You knew you couldn’t keep working at the shipyard. There was just too much risk involved when fixing ships and you didn’t want to endanger yourself or your unborn child. You decided you’d talk to your boss first thing in the morning once you figured out a new job. Luckily, you’d saved up quite a bit, so you had a cushion to fall back on, but you didn’t want to have to dip into savings unless you absolutely needed to. As of right now that savings had been to get you off-world but now those plans would have to be put on hold. Naboo wasn’t such a bad place to be at least. It was a peaceful planet and you’d grown used to the hustle and bustle of things, but you needed to think of something a little more permanent if you were to raise a child here.</p><p>You made your way back to your home and walked into your bedroom, taking a seat on the side of the bed as you held the bag in your hands. You took your supplements out and put them on your nightstand and then took out the holodisk, holding it in the palm of your hand. For such a small object it felt considerably heavy, but you knew it was because of the contents it held. You fiddled with the disk as you got lost in thoughts of what the future would hold. Exhaling heavily, you pressed the button to turn the holoprojction on. Your breath caught in your throat. Tears welled in your eyes. Your heart pace quickened. In the projection, the form of a baby curled up around itself, and its heartbeat played loudly. This was your child. Your sweet innocent child. Tears leaked out as you set the projection down on your nightstand and laid down, facing the image, as you held your belly and stroked it gently. You started humming a tune as you imagined what your baby would look like. You’d never seen the Mandalorian without his helmet on, but you could guess how handsome he was. Deep down you knew that your child would be perfect in every way. You turned off the projection as you turned over onto your other side and continued stroking your belly as you began to hum a tune before drifting off.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong> <em>-FOUR MONTHS AND A HALF LATER-</em> </strong>
</p><p>You let out a huff as you sat down in your kitchen, hand on your now very round stomach. You had had a very long day at work, and you were ready to take a nap until the baby came. The last four months and a half since finding out about the pregnancy had been spent very busily. Two weeks after you quit your job at the shipyard, you’d managed to land a job at the school in town. You had happily accepted the position as an assistant, helping the teachers with the children, but under no obligation to teach yourself. The principal had been very understanding of your circumstances and had told you that they would be more than happy to assist you in any way that they could. You had been overjoyed to hear the good news and had started immediately. Now, however, you were waddling after children and it was getting too tiring. You knew you would be able to take time off work at the end of the week, in preparations of delivering the baby in a few weeks, but the days felt like they were going at a snail’s pace. You attempted to get up from your seat but had trouble, so it took you a few tries to stand up properly. You walked, well more like waddled, over to the conservator and pulled out some leftovers from the night before. Suddenly you felt a sharp pain at your side, before collapsing on the floor with a gasp. The container of food clattered to the floor loudly and you clutched your middle as you felt pain rip throughout your body. Waves of pain rippled throughout your lower body and your eyes widened at the realization that you were in labor.</p><p>“Oh no,” you gasped out, as you felt another wave of pain and you braced yourself. This was unlike any other pain you’d ever felt before and you knew that the baby would get there any moment. You needed to get to the infirmary and fast. You managed to hoist yourself up from the ground and leaned over the table as another contraction hit. On shaky legs, you made your way to the door and began walking down towards the infirmary, ignoring the curious looks sent your way. <em>Thank the Maker it’s nearby. </em>Once you entered the building you paused to catch your breath against a wall before pushing yourself off and walking towards the front desk. There was a small line, so you stood behind two Twi’leks and waited in silence, not wanting to bring attention to yourself. Another contraction rolled through you and you quietly groaned out in pain, placing a hand to your belly and rubbing.</p><p>“Not yet, baby. Not yet,” you urged quietly. Unfortunately, your child had other ideas and you felt another bout of pain before a rush of liquid broke from you. You loudly yelped as all eyes turned to you and the pool of clear liquid at your feet.</p><p>“Oh no,” you said before you lost consciousness.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong> <em>-TWO HOURS LATER-</em> </strong>
</p><p>You awoke completely disoriented. The last thing you remembered was your water breaking once you got to the medbay and then fainting. You sat up abruptly and your hands automatically went to your middle, hoping you were alright. You felt fear surge through you at the feel of a smaller bump than you previously had, and you began to panic. You heard the monitor beep as your heart rate increased and your blood pressure rose. Tears streaked down your face as you feared the worst.</p><p>“No no no no no. Please, Maker, no,” you pleaded into the empty room as you clung to the blankets around your belly. Suddenly, the door to your room opened and a female Chiss walked through the door followed by a medical droid.</p><p>“Oh no!” she exclaimed as she rushed to your side. You looked over at her as she cupped your head and attempted to soothe you.</p><p>“Wha – what – what happened?” you asked her as you took deep breaths, wanting answers.</p><p>“You’re alright. You’re both alright. You fainted in the lobby after your water broke and you were very far along in your labor. We had to get the baby delivered as quickly as possible,” she explained. You took a deep breath as your eyes shot up to meet hers at the mention of your baby. As if reading your mind, she smiled and pointed to the corner of your room a few feet from your bed. You looked over questioningly and your tears of panic turned into tears of joy. The Chiss nodded to the medical droid and it made its way over to the crib and wheeled it over to you. You gingerly picked up your child as you brought them to your chest.</p><p>“Congratulations, it’s a girl,” the medical droid stated. You smiled as you watched your little girl nuzzle deeper into your arms and grasp a finger in her dainty little hand. You choked back a sob at how beautiful she was. You looked up at the nurse and the droid and smiled.</p><p>“Thank you,” you said softly. She nodded at you as she stood.</p><p>“We’ll give you a few moments, but whenever you are ready go ahead and let us know on the datapad. You are both in good health and should be able to go home tomorrow.” You nodded as you looked back down at the little bundle of joy.</p><p>“Oh, one more thing,” the nurse stated from the doorway. “What would you like to name her?” You pondered for a moment as you gazed at your beautiful daughter.</p><p>“Dinah Aerin,” you replied as you rocked her in your arms. The nurse nodded and entered the name into her datapad and exited the room, the droid following behind.</p><p>“Hi, baby girl. I’m your momma,” you whispered as you smiled down at the newborn. You let out a little gasp as she opened her eyes to look up at you as her fingers tightened around your own. Your heart soared at how blessed you were for such a healthy and charming baby. You saw yourself in her, but upon a closer look, you could tell that she didn’t have your eyes. She had <em>his</em>. You’d never seen his face but, in your heart, you knew that those were his eyes. You choked back a sob as you thought of how much you wished he was there with you. To have been there during the pregnancy. For all the appointments. For the delivery, that you had sadly missed. For the moment your little girl first opened her eyes. You wished with every fiber of your being that he had been there with you throughout it all. Your heart ached at the impossible dream.</p><p>“It’s just you and me, little one. I’m always going to take care of you,” you promised her as you placed a gentle kiss on her crown.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong> <em>-TWO YEARS LATER-</em> </strong>
</p><p>You let out a laugh as you chased after your daughter as she weaved her way through the tall grass towards the shore of the lake. She’d grown up so much in the last two years and you’d wondered where the time had gone. She’d gone from an adorable newborn to a very lively young toddler and you’d had your hands full. The school you’d worked at had let you take off a year to bond and raise Dinah, and you’ve been so grateful. At two years old she’d been able to attend the daycare at the school and your boss had been generous enough to let you change your position to work there. Being able to work with children, as well as your own, was something you were quickly growing fond of. As you caught Dinah, she let out a squeal as you picked her up and blew raspberries on her belly, swinging her around in a circle.</p><p>“I got you!” you exclaimed as she let out a hearty laugh.</p><p>“Momma!”</p><p>“How’s my baby girl doing?”</p><p>“I hungry,” Dinah replied as she pointed to her belly. You smiled at her antics and rolled your eyes.</p><p>“Dinah Aerin, we just had a little picnic, and you’re already hungry?!” She nodded with a mischievous smile as she cupped your face and blew kisses against your nose. You laughed and let out a sarcastic sigh.</p><p>“Alright, let’s make our way back home and we’ll stop at the market on the way to get some shuura and oranges, how’s that sound?” Dinah nodded her head enthusiastically and pointed towards home. You set her down and she grasped your hand as you both made your way to the market. On your way there you heard the roar of a ship and looked up at the sky, just in time to see a familiar ship streak across the sky. <em>No.</em> <em>It can’t be him. There are other ships just like it. It can’t be him.</em> You thought as you watched the recognizable ship made its way to a port and land. Your pace quickened as you got near the market, not wanting a certain bounty hunter to spot you. Years of surviving on your own and being hidden away coming to the surface. You’d hoped for years that he’d return, but as the years passed you knew it was a spice dream. Now it seemed that your dream may come true, but you’d let all hope go of a happy reunion. You were still deeply hurt by what had happened, and you didn’t want to subject your daughter to that. You needed to protect her at all costs, even if it meant hiding her away from her father.</p><p>As you got to the market you made sure to scan the area for any familiar armor, breathing out a sigh of relief as you saw no trace. However, you still stayed alert, knowing that if he didn’t want to be seen, he wouldn’t. But in a peaceful place like Naboo, you knew he’d stick out like a sore thumb, and word of a Mandalorian would quickly spread. Dinah tugged on your arm as she spotted a vendor selling shurra fruit and oranges, along with other fruits, and pulled you towards them. You let go of her hand as you reached the stand and greeted the Gungan there. You let them know you wanted several shurra fruits and oranges, and you threw in a few pears and pineapples in there too. You were planning on making a little fruit salad for your adorable womp rat when you got home, so you wanted to load up a bit just in case she wanted more later. After the vendor had given you the fruit you quickly thanked them and guided Dinah towards your home, making sure to stay alert on the walk back. Even after all these years you still couldn’t rid yourself of the instinct to fight, and you knew that you’d protect her at all costs.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>-FLASHBACK-</strong>
</p><p>You’d been running on the streets of Corellia for as long as you could remember. You’d been tossed out by your family when you were just a child and ever since then you’d been scrapping to get by. You’d fallen in with a group of children who also lived on the streets, and you’d become friends with them. Unfortunately, you all had a hard time finding food and you found yourself working for the White Worms, a criminal organization that ran the streets where you lived. You didn’t know how you’d ended up working for them, but you had, and in some ways you were grateful. You’d taught yourself how to fight and scavenge for food while working for them but now you wanted out. At the age of nineteen, you were ready for something new and wanted to get off this desolate planet that you called home. You scoffed at the thought as you made your way through the dark alleyways towards your little alcove but felt the hairs on the back of your neck rise as a shadow rose behind you.</p><p>“Well well well, what have we here?” a voice said as you whipped around and came to face with a Zabrak. His horns made him look very intimidating, but you stood your ground.</p><p>“Leave me alone,” you sternly said as you looked at him. He scoffed at you and took a few steps forward.</p><p>“What’s a pretty little thing like you doing in a place like this? Someone might get some ideas,” he spat out as he pulled out a knife. Your blood ran cold at the implication of his words.</p><p>“Oh yeah? Why don’t you try and see what happens,” you challenged, knowing you might not be a match for him, but you could at least try. The Zabrak guffawed at your bravery and charged you, swinging his arm holding the knife towards your midsection. You quickly dodged, taking a step back before spinning and landing a kick to his chest. He coughed as he was knocked back a few feet, further angering him.</p><p>“You bitch!” he said as he charged you once more, slashing every which way in an attempt to land a hit. You evaded his movements, your size and speed helping you maneuver around his actions. You saw an opening in his swings and you took the opportunity to land an uppercut to his face and two blows to his chest, before kneeing him between the legs, earning a cry of pain from him. You proceeded to grab his head and bring it down towards your knee and heard the distinct crack of his nose meeting the hard surface for your kneecap. He fell to the ground with a groan and you stood above him triumphantly.</p><p>“Next time you decide to attack a ‘pretty little thing’ like me, you won’t be so lucky,” you sneered, picking up the knife that had clattered to the ground nearby. You slipped it into your boot as you turned and made your way towards the sad excuse of a home. You really needed to get off this kriffing planet, and you’d do everything you could.</p><p>
  <strong>-END FLASHBACK-</strong>
</p><hr/><p>You grimaced at the memory as you finally spotted your home in the distance, the safety it offered washing you in relief. You needed to get off the street as soon as possible and you were on edge the entire walk home with Dinah at your side. As you crossed the threshold of your home you turned around to lock the door and spotted an all too memorable set of armor walking through the streets, their back turned. You exhaled a nervous breath as you shut the door and locked it, knowing that you’d avoided him just in time. <em>Thank the Maker.</em></p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Happy Now</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Din goes back to Naboo in search of Reader. Flashbacks of their bonding from the past.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: ANGST, some language, a little fluff, but mostly angst. </p><p>Song: Happy Now by Zedd and Elley Duhe</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><h1>
  <strong>Din’s POV</strong>
</h1><hr/><p>It had been almost three years since Din had been to this system. The moment he landed on Naboo his mind drifted to you and if you were still here. He hoped so. He had come here in search of a bounty, but he had an ulterior motive for taking the job from Karga. He wanted to look for you. He wanted to apologize for how things had gone between the two of you. He wanted to gaze into your eyes and tell you that he loved you and that he regretted every moment that he was away. He wanted to make things right between the two of you and would grovel at your feet if he had to.</p><p>As he made his way through the streets of Naboo he thought back to the last time he had been in this area. He had carried your sleeping form into the Nabooan hotel and left you there to wake up alone and confused, with nothing but a note to say goodbye. He felt like bantha fodder for that, wishing he could go back in time and undo his grievance. The memory made his heart ache and he tried to put it out of his mind to no avail. He missed you too much to think of anything else and being on Naboo just made the wound in his soul hurt ten times more. He wondered how you were doing. Were you still on this planet? Did you stay for the month he had paid for or spitefully left? Did you find a ship and get out of the system? Did you find someone else and move on from him? His heart clenched at the thought that you might have moved on from him, having a family of your own. Without him. He thought back to the days that you both had spent on the Crest and how you had both bonded over your difficult childhoods. And he thought of the time he had told you his name.</p><hr/><p><strong>-</strong> <strong>FLASHBACK-</strong></p><p>~</p><p>
  <strong> <em>-ONE MONTH AFTER YOU JOINED HIM-</em> </strong>
</p><p>“So Mando, tell me about yourself. All I know is that you are a bounty hunter and an especially good one at that. The slabs of carbonite are evidence of that. You told me that you needed a pilot and mechanic to help you with this scrap of junk. So, tell me about yourself. It’s the least you can do,” you stated as you leaned back in the passenger seat of the Crest, putting your hands behind your head. He grunted at your question, the only form of acknowledgment he would give you. He was not used to the laid-back attitude you had. He had seen you fight for your life against three men and were frightened the first time he met you, so your change in demeanor was throwing him off a bit. He did not want to think about earlier that day when he had stumbled upon you bathing in the river and how your voice and body had mesmerized him. He put the memory out of his mind as much as he could to avoid his body’s response to it. He decided that he was not going to indulge your questions for the time being. You let out a huff at his unwillingness to share any information about himself, so you began to talk instead.</p><p>“Well, if you won’t talk then I guess I will,” you started. “I was born on Corellia, and my parents pretty much left me for dead. I actually grew up on the streets and taught myself how to fight. The White Worms took me in and taught me how to fight better and gave me a job. Some pretty sketchy jobs, but at least it gave me a way to survive.” His ears perked up at the information that you were giving him. You were a Corellian and had worked for the White Worms. A notorious crime syndicate that was known for doing some unsavory things. That meant that you knew quite a bit more than you were letting on. You clearly were not as defenseless as he thought you were. The way you held your own was proof of that, but there was more that laid beneath the surface. His curiosity about you was further peaked and he wanted to unravel the mystery behind who you were. He kept his eyes forward and listened to you talk some more.</p><p>“After a while, I was able to buy my way off the kriffing planet. Of course, that pissed off the White Worms, but I got pretty good at avoiding them as I made my way out of the system. I guess I was not as important to them as I thought since they never sent anyone after me,” you said with a shrug. “Anyhow, that is enough about me for the time being, Mando. I’m going to get a little shut-eye.”</p><hr/><p>
  <strong> <em>-TWO MONTHS LATER-</em> </strong>
</p><p>“I need you to bring the Crest to me,” Mando spoke into the com. Your ears perked up as you had been sitting in the cockpit with your feet propped up, completely bored out of your mind as you waited for him to come back with the quarry.</p><p>“Um – ok. What are your coordinates?” You replied as you flipped on some switches and pushed a few buttons on the Crest to power her up and prepare to fly over him.</p><p>“I’ve sent the coordinates to your com,” he shortly answered. You rolled your eyes at his short answer. Of course, he would not actually tell you where he was, making you do more work than was necessary.</p><p>“You know, Mando, I feel like you enjoy making me do these useless errands for you, just because you can,” you snarked at him as you punched in his coordinates and made your way to him. You piloted the Crest with ease and let out a groan as you saw where he was, on the edge of a cliff, and the quarry in his laying at his feet unconscious. The quarry was quite large and looked intimidating, to say the least. Mando had him bound and you wondered how he had even achieved that.</p><p>“Lower the ramp,” he directed as you swung the ship around and did as he instructed, hovering over the cliff as steadily as you could. You heard a thud and guessed that he had thrown the bounty inside before you heard the ramp close.</p><p>“Get us out of here and set course for Nevarro,” you heard him say into the com once more before you heard the sound of the quarry being encased in carbonite and the com click of. You quickly pulled away from the edge of the cliff and hit a few buttons before the Crest easily broke through the atmosphere and into space. You clicked a few more buttons and entered in the coordinates for Nevarro, jumping into hyperspace in a moment. You would never get over the feel of piloting a ship and the sight once you were in hyperspace. Seeing the streaks of light as you flew by a multitude of systems always awed you. Mando made his way up the ladder and the cockpit door hissed, signaling his entry. You turned to look at him and he cocked his head towards the passenger’s seat so he could sit in the pilot’s seat. You rolled your eyes at his silent demeanor but moved seats regardless. Once you were situated you watched Mando for a moment before groaning with boredom.</p><p>“Mando, talk to me,” you urged. “Give me at least some information about you. You are so boring, always barking orders at me or something.” His head did not move in the slighted and you half thought that he might have fallen asleep.</p><p>“You talk too much,” he gruffly replied after a few moments. You grinned at the back of his head and shrugged.</p><p>“Well, I don’t like sitting in silence and I’m bored,” you shot back, crossing your arms across your chest. Mando rolled his eyes and made no move to talk to you.</p><p>“Ugh – you are seriously no fun. All work and no play.” Your statement was again answered with silence. “Well, in that case, more about me.” Mando quietly wanted you to continue with your storytelling, finding your voice soothing. Not that he would ever tell you that of course.</p><p>“So, after I left Corellia I actually ended up in Kessel of all places. Did not stay there long though. After that, I managed to make my way to Kashyyyk. Stayed there for a while. Made some friends with Wookies there, which was pretty interesting. After a few years, I made my way to Numidian Prime, fell in with some smugglers there,” you said with a shiver. “We did some odd jobs here and there, but I hightailed it out of there as quick as I could a couple of years after I got there. Finally ended up on Serenno where you met me.” Mando made no indication that he was listening, but you gave him no choice but to listen to your rambling.</p><p>“I guess that’s it for now, I’m going to go and tinker with a few things in the cargo hold, make sure that the Crest doesn’t fall out of the sky or anything,” you said jokingly as you exited the cockpit. Once you were gone Mando let out a breath that he had been holding. The walls he had built up were slowly crumbling the more time he spent with you.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong> <em>-THREE MONTHS LATER-</em> </strong>
</p><p>The last several months had been more or less the same as they had always been. Mando appreciated you helping with the ship, having repaired a few things here and there. Sometimes he would have you fly the Crest to pick him up from odd locations when he captured the bounty because it would have taken too long to walk back to the Crest. You had not been as talkative lately, and Mando was wondering if his cold demeanor had anything to do with it.</p><p>As he made his way onto the ship with a quarry that kept fighting him, pulling on the rope that Mando used to drag him to the crest when he spotted you in the cargo hold putting back a panel that you had been working on. You saw him with the Twi’lek and stood up straight, watching as the bounty fought him tooth and nail to try and break free. The bounty suddenly spotted you and his mouth turned up in a disgusting sneer.</p><p>“Well, well, what do you have here, Mando?” he taunted pulling at his restraints and walking over to you. Mando pulled the rope back and it caused the bounty to stumble a bit but stayed rooted to the spot, eyeing you up and down. You mentally retched at his disgusting behavior and rolled your eyes at him.</p><p>“I bet that Mando fucks you, don’t he? He probably keeps you around as his whore,” the Twi’lek sneered. His words angered you and you swiftly delivered a roundhouse kick to his head, causing him to fall back and hit the floor of the Crest with a thud. Mando watched the exchange and felt a sense of pride watching you take down a bounty with ease, even if the Twi’lek was tied up. He pulled the conscious body up and threw it into the carbonite freezer, as you crossed your arms and let out a huff.</p><p>“Stupid kriffing Twi’lek. I would’ve done worse to him if he kept that up,” you snapped. Mando made no sound as he continued with his actions of getting the slab of carbonite into storage. He walked over to the ladder and then looked at you.</p><p>“Are you coming?” He asked. The question threw you off and it took you a moment to process his words.</p><p>“Uh – ye – yeah,” you stuttered out as you followed after him, stopping abruptly when you saw him in the passenger’s seat instead of his usual place. You raised an eyebrow as you cautiously sat in the seat and waited for him to do or say something. Anything. The silence was eating away at you as you took the initiative and got the Crest into space and entering the location of the next bounty.</p><p>“I grew up in Aq Ventina,” he spoke behind you. Your eyes widened at the first bit of information about him that he was willingly sharing with you. “Things seemed fine until the Clone Wars, and Separatists attacked the settlement. My parents hid me in a hatch but a droid almost killed me.” You swiveled the chair to face him, looking at him as he tilted the helmet to face the ground and continued to speak.</p><p>“The droid was stopped by a Mandalorian and they rescued me. After that, I became a Foundling.”</p><p>“A Mandalorian?”</p><p>“Yes. I saw many of them fighting the droids while the one that rescued me flew me away to safety. From there the Mandalorians took me in and raised me in the Fighting Corps.”</p><p>“Oh wow,” you breathed out. He continued to look down as his hands twitched anxiously. This was the most he had ever told anyone of his history.</p><p>“I – I don’t know why I’m telling you all this, but I guess it’s because you’ve told me so much about yourself,” he replied a little awkwardly. You reached your hand out to place it on top of his, causing him to snap his head up to meet your gaze through the visor.</p><p>“That’s alright. I know you are a very private person, Mando. You don’t owe me anything,” you reassured him. You were happy that you had finally gotten something out of him, especially since you had shared so much about your past with him alright, but you did not want to overstep and make him feel uncomfortable.</p><p>“It – it’s different. I – 'd like to get to know you more,” he said quietly. You smiled at him and nodded.</p><p>“If you want, I will chat away endlessly.”</p><p>“Maybe not that much, please,” he replied, and you let out a small laugh.</p><p>“Tell me more about you? If you want,” you asked gently. You felt him take a deep breath before speaking.</p><p>“I – I don’t remember much from my childhood before I was rescued. I can hardly remember the faces of my parents, and – “he stopped himself before letting out a shaky breath. “I can sometimes hear the screams of everyone from when the droids attacked. I know my parents died that day, but it’s still -”</p><p>“I’m so sorry, Mando,” you replied, feeling your heart reach out to him. You had never known your parents so the sting that he felt was something you were not able to relate to, but you knew that it must have hurt a lot.</p><p>“It was a long time ago,” he replied as he stood up, releasing your hand from his. You looked up at him questioningly.</p><p>“I’m going to get a little sleep,” he said, the nervousness from telling you about his past now gone. “Make sure we get to Thyferra.” You nodded at his words, knowing that the conversation was now over, but progress had been made with him. He walked out of the cockpit and you turned the chair back around as you heard the hiss of the door shut behind you.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong> <em>-ONE MONTH LATER-</em> </strong>
</p><p>You and the Mandalorian had been talking more and more as the days went by. After his initial conversation with you, telling you about the time he was rescued, he had begun to speak more freely around you. You were ecstatic from the change and him being so willing to talk about things, especially about his childhood. He told you about being raised in the Fighting Corps and you told him about the White Worms and the struggles that came with working for them. One night you were both sitting in the cockpit when he heard you speak quietly behind him.</p><p>“Mando, do you ever take the helmet off?”</p><p>“No,” he replied shortly.</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“When I swore the Creed and received my armor, I swore that I would never remove it in front of another living being,” he explained, turning the chair around to face you.</p><p>“What happens if you do?”</p><p>“I will never be able to put it back on and will cease to be considered a true Mandalorian. I will become a dar’manda.”</p><p>“Dar’manda?” You repeated.</p><p>“An outcast. One who has lost their heritage, thus losing their soul and identity. It is a fate worse than death for a Mandalorian.”</p><p>“Oh,” you breathed out. You knew that the Creed he spoke of must be strict, but you did not know just how extensive it was.</p><p>“So, nobody has seen you without the helmet since you put it on?” He shook his head.</p><p>“Not since I was a child. The only time anyone will ever see my face is if I die or – “he cut himself off, not sure if he should share such information with you.</p><p>“Or?” You prompted, curious as to what it was.</p><p>“Or a riduurok is formed,” he breathed out. You cocked your head at him questioningly.</p><p>“A what?”</p><p>“A – a marriage.” Your mouth formed into an "o" in surprise, not knowing much about the Mandalorian culture in general, but this bit of information was surprising.</p><p>“So, you would have to get married for you to take your helmet off?” He nodded. “And would you able to keep it off?”</p><p>“No, only my family, or my clan, would be allowed that privilege.”</p><p>“I see,” you hummed back, fascinated with all the new information you were getting. “That’s very interesting.”</p><p>“My culture is very…Different,” he said.</p><p>“Would you ever get married?”</p><p>“I have never had the desire to,” he replied. “My line of work is not exactly fit for such luxuries.” You nodded your head in understanding.</p><p>“What about names?”</p><p>“Names?”</p><p>“Yeah, do you all have names, or do you give that up too when you swear your Creed?” Your curious nature never failed to amaze him.</p><p>“We have names,” he replied as he slightly shifted in his seat.</p><p>“You don’t have to tell me, if it’s sacred or anything,” you said. “You already know my name, but I understand if your Creed does not allow others to know it like with your face.” He studied you through the visor. After spending months with you he had slowly gotten more and more comfortable with you, but he was not sure if he should share such a meaningful piece of information with you. He had not heard his name spoken by anyone outside of the Mandalorian culture since he was a child. He knew that his name would sound like music rolling off your tongue, and he wanted to give you that privilege that not many had. He took a deep breath before he spoke.</p><p>“My name is – Din,” he began to exhale slowly. “Din Djarin.”</p><hr/><p><strong>-</strong> <strong>END FLASHBACK-</strong></p><p>Din thought fondly of those nights when he was alone. Every night since he had left you, he was haunted by what he had done and the emptiness it wrought upon him. He felt an ache in his chest when he thought of how you had opened yourself up to him so willingly and broken down his walls, and how you made him feel. He knew when he shared his name with you that you had meant a lot to him then. And after the night you both shared, he knew that he wanted more with you. The feelings he had for you had grown over time, and now they only served to torment him. At each and every turn, he thought of you and only you. No matter how much time passed, how many sleepless nights he had, his mind would always go back to the thought of you.</p><p>The tracking fob beeped in his hand as he made his way through the Nabooan streets, a steady beeping ever since he had landed. He looked down at it and looked back up, studying his surroundings. It was not often that a bounty would go to such a peaceful planet, nevertheless, a bounty was a bounty. As he walked through the market, he observed the vendors and the shuffle of people around him. His Mandalorian armor made walking through crowds easy since everyone parted for him as he made his way through, but that also meant that anyone trying to hide from him would spot him easier. He did not want to risk his bounty escaping but guessed that the bounty did not think anyone would come looking for them on a planet like Naboo. As he passed a fruit vendor, he looked at the fruits and studied the vibrant colors adorning them. He recalled the time that you had spoken fondly of your favorite colors.</p><hr/><p><strong>-</strong> <strong>FLASHBACK-</strong></p><p>Din watched as you gazed at the fruit in the market longingly. Your mouth was gaping open at all the different kinds and you placed a finger under your chin in thought.</p><p>“I think I want…... This one!” You excitedly exclaimed as you pointed to some oranges and red apples. The vendor placed several in a bag for you and you exchanged credits for the fruit. You happily swung the bag from side to side as you both made your way back to the Crest. Din had resupplied and refueled earlier and finally decided to indulge your curiosity about the market.</p><p>“Why are you so happy about some fruit?” He questioned. You looked at him, appalled at such a question.</p><p>“Some fruit? Some fruit?!” You exclaimed. “These are not just some fruit!”</p><p>“Oh?”</p><p>“No,” you replied as you held the bag to your chest. “These fruits embody two of my favorite colors.”</p><p>“Favorite colors?”</p><p>“Yes,” you said as you pulled out an orange and an apple and held them upside by side. “They remind me of a sunset. The warmth that the sun brings, slowly disappearing over the horizon in a blast of color. And it is so beautiful.” Din nodded his head, thinking back to all of the sunsets he had seen in his lifetime, never fully taking in its beauty. You had opened his eyes to yet another thing that he never truly thought about outside of the superficial.</p><p>“I suppose they are quite beautiful,” he replied as he watched you grin, his heart fluttering in his chest.</p><hr/><p><strong>-</strong> <strong>END FLASHBACK-</strong></p><p>After that day Din never looked at sunsets the same way. They went from being just sunsets to something more. Something beautiful and to be appreciated. He shook his head, clearing the memory away. He was here to do a kriffing job but thoughts of you would not leave his mind. Especially not here. He walked through the market some more, staying alert for any suspicious figures, but was met with nothing. Out of the corner of his eye, he spied a figure with a child in tow, backs turned to him, shuffling away quickly. He studied them for a moment, and the figure reminded him of you</p><p>For a moment he thought that the figure might have <em>been</em> you. His heart jumped at the thought, wishing that it was indeed you, but shrugged the thought off. His imagination was only playing tricks on him. He scoffed at his previous thought. There would be no way you were still on this planet, let alone with a child. The idea of reuniting with you was so bittersweet and he wished that it <em>had</em> been you that was walking away, maybe turning to face him so he could see your beautiful face. He let out a sigh as he turned around to make his way back through the market and go to a different part of town. The tracking fob’s beeping still held steady and he had an inkling that the bounty was in a more rural place of the planet. As he made his way back through the market, he could not help but let his mind wander back to the figures he saw earlier. Even at quite a distance, he had felt some kind of pull to them, drawing him in, telling him to go to them, but he had ignored it.</p><p>
  <em>There could be no way it was you.</em>
</p><hr/><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Jar of Hearts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Reader flees Naboo and there's an unexpected meeting.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: ANGST. All the angst. A little fluff if you squint.</p><p>Song: Jar of Hearts by Christina Perri</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><p></p><div class="">
  <h1>
    <strong>Reader’s POV</strong>
  </h1>
  <hr/>
  <p>It had been one year since your near run-in with the Mandalorian on Naboo. After seeing his armor, you decided to leave Naboo a week after, not wanting to run the risk of seeing him there again. This time you had found yourselves on Takodana. A quiet planet, full of beautiful forests and small lakes, it reminded you very much of Naboo. You were aware that the planet was a safe place for people to easily keep a low profile, so you had no qualms that the Mandalorian would find you. It would take him a very odd reason to come to such a planet. You and your daughter settled into a village quite quickly.</p>
  <p></p>
  <div class="">
    <p>By this time, she was nearly four years old and was becoming more and more active and curious with each passing day. For a child of such a young age, her development was exceedingly quick. You enrolled her into a school while you looked for a job since you were unable to work at a school this time. Not being near her during the day made you uneasy and constantly worried you. However, you managed to find work as a bartender at a local cantina. The job would suffice for now, but you were in a never-ending state of anxiety, paranoid that something would happen to your daughter while you were not around. You thought back to the day that you had told her about leaving Naboo, the fit she had, and the journey to Takodana. You both had come a long way in the last year, and you thanked the Maker every day that you were blessed with the sort of luck to find places to settle at.</p>
    <hr/>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>
      <strong>-FLASHBACK-</strong>
    </p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Dinah, we need to pack your things, we are leaving Naboo,” you hastily said as you began to place things into a rucksack for yourself and another for her.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Momma, why?” She questioned, for a child of two she was quite curious, and you let out a sigh.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Because we have to. Our time here is done, and we need to find a new home now,” you replied as you crouched down to her level and placed a hand on her shoulder. She clutched onto, Titi, the little Ewok plushie that you had gotten her a year ago at the market.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“I no wanna,” she whined as she let out a huff and sat down on the ground.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Sweetheart, we have to,” you pleaded as you sat down on the ground with her, crossing your legs and running your hands up and down her little arms.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“We stay.”</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“No, honey. We can’t stay anymore,” you said as you saw tears well up in her eyes. Your heart broke, knowing that you both had grown used to the peaceful life in Naboo. You both had grown comfortable and had established lives here, and you knew she was having trouble grasping that. After all, her entire life had only ever been on this planet, and you were about to rip that away from her. Dinah let out a sniffle as she clutched Titi harder into her chest, tears beginning to fall from her eyes. You pulled her to you and held her to your chest, cradling your daughter in your lap.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“We will find a new home, my little one,” you said as you stroked her hair. “One that’s just as beautiful as Naboo, if not more.” She let out a wail as she gripped your shirt.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“I no wanna go, momma,” she cried harder. “Titi say we no go.”</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“I know you don’t want to go, baby,” you said as you kissed the crown of her head. “But we need to find a new home.” You both sat like that for several moments, her crying until she began to hiccup and you comforting her as much as you could. You picked up her little form and rocked her back and forth until her hiccups subsided, and you heard her little snores. You gently placed her on the bed, careful to keep Titi in her arms, as you tucked a blanket around her. You made your way around the room and began to pack as many things as you could as she slept. After you packed as many belongings as you could you locked the door to your bedroom where she slept, and made your way out of your home, locking the door behind you as well. You quickly made your way to a port and walked up to a droid.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“I need passage for two, or if you have a ship available to purchase, I would prefer that,” you said sternly, looking around at the assortment of ships littering the bay.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“One moment please,” the droid spoke as it scanned the computer. “We have a YV-666 light freighter available.”</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“I’ll take it,” you replied as you forked over a handful of credits that you knew would cover the cost. You had been saving up the last two years and had enough credits to buy a small transport ship to get you off the planet. The cost would greatly impact you, but it was worth it. The droid clicked a few things on the computer and then hummed.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Purchase has been processed, please proceed,” it droned as it pointed you towards your new ship. You nodded and made your way over to it, going up the ramp and placing your belongings in the little cargo hold. You hurriedly made your way back to your home and opened the door, letting out a sigh of relief seeing Dinah still fast asleep. You gently picked her up and carried her through the streets and into the port. You maneuvered her skillfully up the ramp and placed her into the extra seat in the cockpit, strapping her tiny frame in.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>The process felt all too familiar and your heart ached. This was what <em>he</em> had done to you all those years ago, only the opposite of what you were currently doing. The memory stung and you looked over at your daughter, regretting what you were putting her through, but knew you had no choice. You pressed the button to close the hatch and prepared the disembarking sequence. You expertly piloted the light freighter through the landing docks and swiftly took off, breaking through the atmosphere with little difficulty. You scanned several systems, unsure of where you would go when your eyes landed on Takodana. <em>There,</em> you thought as you entered in the coordinates and set course for the planet.</p>
    <hr/>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>
      <em> <strong>-SEVERAL HOURS LATER-</strong> </em>
    </p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>You had managed to move Dinah out of the cockpit and into the pilot’s quarters with ease. She was a heavy sleeper, and you thanked the Maker that she did not stir as you placed her carefully in the bed. You sat on the edge studying her, admiring the soft features that she had inherited from you. You recognized the nose and mouth she had gotten from you, but whenever she opened her eyes your breath would catch. You knew they were not your eyes. Dinah slept for a few more hours before she finally began to shift. You stroked her hair, as her eyes opened, and she took in her surroundings. Her lip trembled at the realization that you were no longer in your quaint little home but on a ship.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Momma?” She spoke looking up at you questioningly.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Hi, baby,” you greeted with a sad smile.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Where we?”</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“We are headed to our new home, little one,” you replied. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she tucked Titi under her arm, lips quaking some more before she finally let the tears fall. You felt yourself sniffle at the sadness in her eyes and knew that you were wrong in taking her away from her home as she slept. You felt guilt run through you as she threw herself at you and cried, her tears soaking into your shirt as she gripped onto you, afraid to let go.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Shhhh, sweetheart. It’s going to be alright,” you reassured her. “We’re going somewhere you will like.” She continued to weep in your arms before her breathing leveled out and she lifted her head to look at you.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“I sad, momma,” as she sniffled at you.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“I know, little one,” you said as you wiped some tears away. “It’ll be alright.”</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>
      <strong>-END FLASHBACK-</strong>
    </p>
    <hr/>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>Today you were working in the cantina, a few customers shuffling in throughout the day. The afternoon crowd was not very lively, so you had some free time between patrons. You were thinking about what dinner would be when your wrist suddenly beeped, signaling you had an incoming commlink call. You answered it and were greeted with the face of your daughter’s teacher.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Yes?” You greeted, unsure of why you were getting a call from her teacher.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Miss?” They replied. “Um - I'm uh - I'm not sure how to tell you this but - um - it appears that Dinah wandered off, we think in the market, while we were on a field trip to the lake.” Your heart dropped, suddenly feeling very ill. Your three-year-old daughter was wandering the streets alone and you were not there to protect her. Even though Takodana was a fairly quiet planet, there were still some unsavory people that would make their way through to another planet through the ports. You were sure that some would not think twice about taking a little girl on their way off-world. Fear tightly gripped you, and you collapsed onto the floor behind the bar, out of sight from prying eyes.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“You – you lost her?” You said as your breath caught in your throat at the words. “You lost my daughter?”</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Miss, we have several teachers out right now looking for her," they spoke. "Please stay calm."</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Stay calm!? How dare you ask me to stay calm!" you yelled, not caring if people would hear you. “I don't kriffing care what you have to do. Find her!” The teacher nodded at you understandingly before ending the call. As a single mother, your worst fear was coming true, losing your child, and you were terrified. You got up and threw your apron onto the countertop and walked out of the cantina, sending your boss a quick commessage telling them you were leaving for the rest of the day and to have someone cover you. They sent a reply back acknowledging your message and you breathed a sigh of relief. You were going to find your daughter no matter what it took. You walked through the market in town calling her name.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Dinah! Dinah!” You shouted down the streets and curious eyes turned to look at you. You were a madwoman yelling in the streets, but you did not care. You needed to find your daughter and make sure she was alright and safe. It seemed like you were looking for her for ages and your feet were growing sore and you were growing tired. You took a moment to lean against the wall, bracing your weight against it in an attempt to relieve some of the tension in your feet. You could not think of where she would be all alone. Unless. Unless someone had taken her. You choked back a sob at the thought. You would not know what to do if that was the case. You knew that you would tear apart the entire galaxy to find her, no matter what it took, but you did not even know where you would start. You took a deep breath and pushed off of the wall, walking down a corridor when you saw her at the end of it. You let out a gasp and tried to call out to her, but your voice was hoarse from all the yelling you had done earlier. You coughed out and suppressed a sob. You were so close to her! You began to run in her direction, feeling like the corridor grew longer and longer as you ran. You stopped to take a break and catch your breath, bending over and bracing yourself against your knees. You looked back up to make sure your daughter had not moved when you saw it.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>The familiar glint of brown armor standing in front of her crouched down, and it looked like the two of them were talking. <em>No.</em> Your heart jumped in your chest, knowing who it was that stood before your daughter, and horror coursed through you. <em>What in kriffing hell was he doing here?!</em> You slowed your walk as you hid in the shadows, observing them. Dinah nodded at him after some spoken words and he stood up, reaching a hand down to her, and she took it. Your mind was reeling. You stuck to the shadows as much as you would, walking down the street parallel to the main one they were on and it dawned on you where they were headed. He was taking her back to the school! As you neared the end of the street it began to turn to join the main one, and you slowed your walk as you watched them pass through the entrance of where you were. You pulled up a scarf over your head and face, hiding everything but your eyes, and turned to follow behind them down the street.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>As they drew closer and closer to the school, you watched as your daughter kept lifting her head to speak to him, wildly gesturing her arms. It took you a moment, but your eyes snapped to his left hand where your daughter’s plushie was safely grasped. You were on the verge of tears seeing how gentle he was being with her, and you wanted nothing more than to call out and reveal yourself. But your heart still ached for what had happened all those years ago. As much as you wanted to, you still could not forgive him. You were not sure if you ever could. You still spent nights crying yourself to sleep after you put Dinah to bed, and you were not ready to face him. Even though your heart was telling you yes, your mind held you back with a resounding no. You knew the outcome would be the same, filled with only pain and anguish. You did not want to put your daughter through that experience either. Meeting him only to say goodbye, because he would inevitably leave. This time leaving not just you behind, but his daughter as well. Your heart would not be able to take it if he did that again. And you knew the pain would be tenfold for her.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>You blinked back tears as you continued to trail behind them. You watched as he would tilt his helmet down to face her as she chattered away as much as a three-year-old could and you again had to choke back your tears. You had envisioned this so many times, seeing him with your daughter, taking care of her, and being a part of her life. A part of your lives. Soon enough they reached the entrance to the school and they stopped. You stopped as well and hopped behind a speeder, making sure you were far enough out of sight that you would not be seen if he turned around. You spied him crouching down to her eye level again and gently hand her the plushie. She took it with a grin and she suddenly thrust herself into his arms. Unprepared for the sudden movement he froze, not knowing how to react to a child hugging him.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>You smiled a sad smile as he finally wrapped his arms around her and held her for a brief moment before letting go, pulling her arms back and laying them at her sides. He spoke to her and she nodded at his words before turning and running into the entrance of the school. He turned to watch her go inside and made sure she entered the building before he turned his heels and began to walk away. You turned your back and made it look like you were rummaging for something in the speeder, making sure to look as inconspicuous as possible. Your gaze followed him as he continued to walk through the streets, avoiding people here and there before finally disappearing out of your vision. You let out a sigh of relief and heard your wrist beep. Another call from the school. You quickly answered it and were greeted by the same teacher from before.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“We have your daughter safe and sound!” They exclaimed. You smiled at her and nodded.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“I’m not too far away, I should be there momentarily,” you replied. The teacher nodded and you ended the call. You needed to steady your breathing and calm your heart before you went to see your daughter. After you recomposed yourself you pulled the scarf off your head and walked to the school. Once you entered you felt a weight against your legs, and you looked down and met Dinah’s eyes. Tears running down her cheeks.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Momma!” She cried as she tightened her hold on your legs. You wrapped your arms around her and hugged her back, letting out your tears.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Sweetie, you can never do that again,” you spoke to her gently. You both released each other, and you squatted to look her in the eyes. Her beautiful big brown eyes.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“We were all worried about you,” You said as you grasped her little hand in your own. She nodded at you and sniffled back her tears, wiping her nose and mouth with the sleeve of her arm, a string of snot upon it.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“I'm sorry momma,” she replied with a small hiccup.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Let’s go home.” She nodded and you looked over at the teachers that were standing nearby watching your reunion.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Thank you,” you spoke at them and they smiled at you.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“We’re glad she’s safe,” one of them spoke. You turned and held Dinah’s hand tightly in your own as you proceeded home. Once you arrived at home you walked in with her and she ran to the table and sat down, swinging her legs as they hung over the chair.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Dinah, what happened?” You asked, hoping she would give you some kind of information about how she got lost.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“I saw kitty,” she spoke, looking down at the ground, fingers fiddling with her toy.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Baby, you know you can’t do that,” you said as you sat beside her. “Did you follow the kitty?” She nodded, ashamed for worrying you.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Next time, you need to stay with your classmates, ok?” She silently nodded again. “How did you get back to the school?” Her head shot up and her eyes shined.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“I made a friend!” She excitedly said arms throw up in joy. </p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“A friend?”</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“A shiny friend,” she said as she grinned and nodded enthusiastically.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Tell me more about your shiny friend,” you prompted, wanting to know what it was that had transpired.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“He was very nice! And shiny,” she added. You let out a chuckle at her words.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“What else?”</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“He walked with me.”</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Oh? Did you say anything to him?”</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“I say I lost, and he bring me back. He said he would protect Titi and me.”</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Sweetie, I’m glad you made a new friend, but you can’t just go off with strangers, ok?” You said, looking her in the eyes and holding her hands in yours.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“But momma, he nice,” she said, eyes growing big and mouth forming into a pout. She certainly knew how to melt your heart. Something she got from <em>him.</em></p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“I know, baby, but you have to be careful,” you said. “Mommy was very worried today.” She bowed her head again and bobbed it up and down.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Okay, momma,” she agreed and then mumbled. “Shiny gave me some fruit though.”</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“That was very nice of him,” you replied as you made your way into the kitchen. “Shall we make some dinner?” Dinah looked over and grinned once she heard you say dinner.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>“Yes! Yes!” She cried in excitement as she got up and ran into the kitchen to help you.</p>
  </div>
  <div class="">
    <p>
      <em>Maker, thank you for the strength today.</em>
    </p>
  </div>
</div>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Where Have You Been</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Summary: Din goes through an odd experience that reminds him very strongly of Reader.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Slow burnnnn, ANGST mixed with FLUFF, some language, soft Din</p><p>Song: Where Have You Been by Rihanna</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
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    <h1>
      <strong>Reader’s POV</strong>
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    <p>Takodana was a beautiful planet. But as beautiful as it was a hot spot for fugitives and smugglers alike. Din made his way through the planet, stopping at the Takodana Castle, inquiring about his current bounty. The folks there were not very helpful, most of them being spies and suspicious characters, uncomfortable with a Mandalorian bounty hunter lurking around. The tracking fob in Din’s hand beeped steadily and he knew he would have to look at more rural villages if he wanted to find the bounty. He stopped to admire the scenery, eyeing Nymeve Lake’s shore that the castle sat on. He thought back to the day he spied you bathing in the river and he let out a sigh. No matter where he went you always seemed to be there. Whether it was a lingering thought or something he saw that reminded him of you, you were never far off in his mind. It had been nearly four years since he last set his eyes upon you and no matter what he did, he could not get you out of his mind. You were like a ghost that hovered about. A figure that always haunted his dreams. No matter how many years had passed he still beat himself up for what he had done.</p>
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  <p>Din followed the shoreline, watching the waves lick the sand before retreating at a consistent pace. Oh, how he wished he could show you the beauty that he was currently gazing at. He turned on his heel and began to make his way through the forest, listening to the constant beeping of the tracking fob. He weaved his way through the thicket of trees and bushes that littered his way and it further reminded him of that fateful day. He was looking for a quarry that day too, in a forest much like this one, when he stumbled upon you. The memory of your tattoos adorning your body, the sound of your angelic voice. It was all flooding back and he almost slipped on a tree root. <em>Dank farrik.</em> After meandering through the forest, he finally came upon a village, occupied by quite a large population. It looked quite peaceful for the most part but looks could be deceiving. Din began to make his way through, keeping his ears peeling for the fob’s pace to change. He weaved his way through streets and alleyways with no luck. At one point he had popped into a cantina, or two, he was losing track and found no sign of the bounty there. He was growing restless and just wanted to go back to the Crest and rest, but he was on a deadline with Karga and needed to collect this final bounty before returning to Nevarro and picking up more pucks. A bounty hunter’s work was tiresome and busy, never a moment of peace.</p>
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  <p>He began to make his way back through the town and up into the trees when his ears perked up at a noise. It was not the sound of footsteps, or creatures, no it was the sound of crying. Putting away the tracking fob, he followed the sobs and found himself on the edge of a field of flowers, in the middle was a little girl. She sat on the ground crying, clutching onto what appeared to be a little plushie of an Ewok, face buried in her hands. He looked around and saw nobody else in the vicinity. Din had absolutely no experience when it came to children. He had interacted with other children when he was but a Foundling, however, as an adult he had no reason to associate with any younglings. His livelihood was far too dangerous and perilous for a child to be involved. He cautiously made his way over to her, making as much noise as possible as to not startle her, which was quite a task since he was usually very light-footed. The little girl’s head snapped up at the sound of his footsteps and she eyed him carefully.</p>
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  <p>“Little girl?” Din softly spoke, making sure to sound as nonthreatening as possible. He did not want to frighten her further than she already was. She sniffled and wiped her nose with her arm, a small line of snot connecting to it.</p>
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  <p>“I’m not going to hurt you,” he said as he held his hands up, showing her that he was not going to hurt her. She stood up and waddled over to him, meeting him halfway across the field. “Are you lost?” She nodded her head as she clung to the plushie.</p>
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  <p>“I want my momma,” she whimpered. “Me and Titi are scared.”</p>
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  <p>“What’s your name?” he inquired as he crouched down to her level.</p>
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  <p>“Dinah,” she sniffled.</p>
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  <p>“Dinah, that’s a nice name. Well, I’ll protect you and Titi, how about that?” he replied, unsure of what else to say to her.</p>
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  <p>“Okay,” she mumbled, unsure if she should trust him but he did not look very scary. In fact, she was fascinated by the armor that he wore.</p>
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  <p>“How old are you?” She held up three fingers to him, before sticking a thumb into her mouth and suckling it.</p>
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  <p>“Well, Dinah, how about we get you back home?” he asked as he stood up. She meekly nodded and looked up at him expectedly. He was confused as to what she wanted. Did she want him to hold her hand? Maybe pick her up? He tilted his helmet at her and she released her thumb from her mouth and held up her arms. <em>Pick her up it is.</em> He bent down and lifted her by her underarms, holding her up awkwardly. He was not sure how exactly to hold her, but this was at least a start.  He held her there for a few more moments, studying her while she dangled above the ground, and she studied him in return. Without warning, she unexpectedly swiped up a hand over his helmet and patted the side of it, and let out a giggle.</p>
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  <p>“Shiny,” she said, patting it once again. He was not sure how to react to her given that he hated when most people called him shiny, but his heart slightly warmed at her words, her tone reminding him of a service someone. He was about to begin walking when he realized that holding straight out in his arms would be quite odd, so he shifted her so she was tucked into his side securely, one arm around her, making sure to support her so she would not fall out of his grip. <em>At least this way I have one free arm,</em> he thought. Dinah went back to suckling on her thumb as he made his way through the field. He was unfamiliar with how to handle children, especially one in his arms, so they carried on in silence until it was broken by her little voice.</p>
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  <p>“Shiny, I want the kitty,” she excitedly spoke as she pointed into the distance behind him. Din turned to look at where her finger was pointed and saw a cat cleaning itself on the other side of the field. <em>Did she really want me to walk to the other side of the field for a kriffing cat?</em> He let out an inaudible sigh, wanting to get her back home as soon as possible so he could continue with his original task of finding the quarry.</p>
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  <p>“We need to get you home,” he replied shortly. The little girl looked at him and pouted, eyes glistening with tears and her lip quivering.</p>
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  <p>“But – but, I want the kitty,” she cried out, tears beginning to fall. The sudden shift in her emotions was throwing him off and he was not emotionally or mentally equipped to deal with this type of scenario. He watched her sob into his chest and he awkwardly brought his hand up to stroke her back and slightly rock her back and forth. <em>I think this is how you do it.</em></p>
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  <p>“Okay, okay. We’ll try and get you the kitty,” he said, giving in to her demands, wanting her weeping to just stop. As much as he wanted a child, this was making him realize that maybe he was not ready. Although…. He thought of you growing round with his child and raising a family together with a smile. He might not be ready for a child, but if the child were with you then maybe, just maybe, he would rethink things. He had never been interested in the thought of marriage either, but you made him rethink that. You made him rethink and question everything. He let out a sigh at the turmoil he faced. You had him questioning so many of his ideals and broken down his walls, but his mistake reminded him of a future that would never come to fruition. He had given that up when he left you on Naboo, that type of future was long gone for him by now. All he had left of you were memories and dreams, sometimes nightmares.</p>
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  <p>
    <strong>-FLASHBACK-</strong>
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  <p>He woke with a start, sweat covering his body, glistening on his skin. His heart was pounding loudly in his chest, about ready to burst out. He had that damn dream again. The dream that haunted him nearly every night since he left you on Naboo a little over a year ago. The dream felt so real that it made his heart ache when he realized it was only a figment of his imagination. He always dreamt of your soft decorated skin, your scent after a shower, the way your laughter would ring through the Crest... The dream always started the same, him waking up beside you on Naboo, having stayed instead of what he had actually done. You would be sound asleep in his arms, head tucked into the crook of his neck, his helmet resting on the nightstand. He would admire the way the corner of your lip would twitch now and then. You were probably talking to someone in your dream. Or you were yelling at them. Either one was a possibility. After a moment of him watching you, he would shift your body closer, tightening his hold on you, causing you to stir and wake up. Your eyes would slowly open and you would sleepily smile at him, before cupping his check and bringing his face down to yours in a kiss.</p>
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  <p>Then the dream would shift to a different setting. There would be a field full of flowers, a waterfall in the background, and the laughter of children filling the air. He would see you standing in the middle of the field, back turned to him as you hummed a tune, probably an old Corellian lullaby, as you slowly rocked back and forth. He would then approach you and envelop you from behind, feeling the roundness of your swollen belly, as he melded his body to yours. You would always fit perfectly in his embrace, feeling like you were made just for him, the missing puzzle piece to his life. He would turn you around and you would greet him with a smile, before moving your hands up to cup his cheeks. Only it was not his skin that you were touching, but the cool steel of his helmet. You would tilt his head down and kiss the crown of the helmet, before kissing the front where his lips would be.</p>
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  <p>“My handsome riduur,” you would whisper, stroking the beskar. “Ni kar'tayl gar darasuum.”</p>
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  <p>You would then move his head back and grasp the helmet with both your hands and begin to lift. His breath would catch, feeling you remove the helmet, but he stood firm, not stopping your actions. Once the helmet no longer sat atop his head, he would bend down and plant a gentle kiss against your bump. Whispering words of affection to his unborn child, he would stroke the side and grin from ear to ear every time the baby kicked against his hand. He would hear laughter behind him and would turn to spot several children, some playing, others merely watching the exchange, but each of them looked like the embodiment of the two of you, each a perfect combination of his features and yours.</p>
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  <p>He would turn back to you and that is when it would happen. His world would rapidly shift, going completely dark, and the only thing that he would hear would be your shrill scream, striking deep into his bones. You would call out for him, begging for him, but in the darkness, he would not be able to find you. He would hear your whimpers of pain, of anguish, of hurt, and tears would spring in his eyes. He would cry out into the void, screaming until his voice grew hoarse and no sound would emerge. He would reach out into the darkness but would be greeted with nothing. And then he would wake up.</p>
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  <p>
    <strong>-END FLASHBACK-</strong>
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  <p>  He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, willing away the haunting images that clouded his mind. He looked down at the little girl sniffling in his arms he turned around and cautiously approached the cat, staying light on his feet to avoid detection. At his movements, Dinah lifted her head and ceased her crying. She was about to say something when he held a hand to his helmet, telling her to keep quiet, but then realized she probably did not know what he was doing since she could not see his lips.</p>
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  <p>“We have to stay quiet,” he whispered to her and she nodded in understanding, keeping a watchful eye on the cat as it continued to groom itself. He stealthily made his way through the field but once they were within a few feet of the cat its head bolted up and it froze. He stopped all movement and waited for what the cat would do. The cat appeared to not care and went back to grooming itself and he let out a small sigh of relief. <em>If I don’t get this kriffing cat she might start crying again and I really just want to get her back to wherever she came from. </em>While the cat was preoccupied, he set the child down carefully.</p>
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  <p>“Stay here and don’t move, okay?” She nodded her head as she hugged her plushie. <em>She’s actually a pretty cute kid,</em> he thought to himself. He turned and sneakily walked towards the cat once more. Once the cat was within reach, he lunged. The cat noticing his sudden movement attempted to jump away with a hiss, but Din was too fast. He managed to pint the cat with his hands, making sure not to hurt it, and looked over at Dinah. She had a large grin on her face and clapped her hands at the sight of him catching the elusive animal. He picked up the cat and held it gently but kept a firm grip on it in case it decided to try and escape while in his grasp. As he walked over to the kid the cat stopped struggling and began to purr contently. <em>Strange animal.</em> His long strides brought him to the little girl quickly and he crouched down and presented the cat to her, holding it out so she could take it. She dropped her plushie to the ground and her smile was wide as she gingerly took the cat and stroked its fur, the cat continuing to purr in her arms. He picked up the plushie and held onto it, standing up, while she happily cuddled the cat to her chest.</p>
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  <p>“Thank you, Shiny,” she stated, as she looked up at him with glee.</p>
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  <p>“Shall I take you back now?” he asked her, wishing she would finally decide to go home. She bobbed her head up and down as she turned around and began to walk through the field once more, guessing the direction of town. He followed behind her closely, making sure that she did not wander from his sight as they drew closer to the town. Eventually, the cat had had enough of human contact and began to squirm in her arms. Understanding what the cat wanted she stopped her walking and Din watched as she tenderly put the cat down, stroking its head one more time before watching it walk away.</p>
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  <p>“Bye-bye, kitty,” she waved, woefully bidding the cat farewell as she watched it disappear into the streets. She turned to him with a sorrowful look, stretching out her hands once again. He sighed and bent down to embrace her small frame and held out the plushie to her. She delightfully took it, the cat long forgotten, and hugged it to her chest. Din began to make his way through the streets again when she let out a gasp and pointed to something in front of them.</p>
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  <p>“What is it?” he questioned, bracing himself for another request from her.</p>
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  <p>“Fruits!” she shouted patting his pauldrons, urging him to go to the fruit stand. <em>Kriffing hell, this child had the attention span of a gizka.</em> He once again gave in to her pleas and strode over to the vendor, seeing her eyes light up at the many fruits adorning the stand.</p>
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  <p>“Which one do you want?” he asked, hoping it would not take her a millennium to decide. She studied the various fruits, observing each one. He was growing restless with each passing moment and wanted to get this done and over with. He had more pressing matters to attend to and this child was greatly hindering his progress. She hummed to herself and tapped his shoulder.</p>
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  <p>“I want these two,” she verbalized eagerly, bouncing up and down in his arms. He held her tighter to prevent her from falling and turned his helmet to acknowledge her request. She pointed to the fruits she wanted, his heart seizing when he saw which fruits she wanted. An apple and an orange. His breath caught in his throat at the similarities in taste she had to a certain someone and he felt his heartache in pain. <em>You have nobody to blame but yourself, Din</em>, the voice in his head spoke.</p>
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  <p>“An apple and an orange?” he confirmed. She nodded enthusiastically and then pointed to another fruit.</p>
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  <p>“And shurra too!” He let out a quiet sigh and nodded. He repeated which fruits she wanted to the vendor and exchanged the credits before taking the bag into his hands. She squealed and clapped her hands, excited that he had gotten her some fruit. They resumed walking through the streets, the bag swinging in his grasp as they navigated around people.</p>
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  <p>“Shiny, I’m hungry. Can we eat them right now?” He paused his stride and looked down at her, letting out a breath at her antics.</p>
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  <p>“I suppose,” he replied, spotting an unoccupied bench, and moved towards it to sit down, placing Dinah on the bench next to him. She set her plushie down before quickly taking the bag from his hands and pulling out the shurra, sinking her mouth into it with fervor. He sat like a statue, watching people walk by while she devoured the fruit before moving on to the second one, this time the apple. The crunching of the apple as she munched on it slightly annoyed him, but he managed to drown it out by focusing on the sounds of the people around them. Some people eyed him oddly, the sight of a child with a Mandalorian being an abnormal sight. After a few moments, the crunching stopped, and he felt a tug on his arm. He glanced down and saw the child holding up the orange to him.</p>
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  <p>“Um, Shiny – I need help,” she spoke. He exhaled and took the fruit from her. He dug his fingers into the top and punctured a hole through the thick skin before pulling a piece of. He began to peel the orange for her while she patiently waited, swinging her legs back and forth on the bench. Once the task was completed, he held his hand out for her to take the orange from him.</p>
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  <p>“Here you go,” he uttered, and she graciously took it from his hold. She began to pull the orange apart, stuffing a piece into her mouth, and began to chew loudly.</p>
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  <p>“Thank you, Shiny,” she answered, mouth full of the last piece of orange before she swallowed it and grinned.</p>
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  <p>“Shall we bring you home now?” She shook her head and he frowned.</p>
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  <p>“Not home, the school!” She said as she hopped off the bench energetically. <em>It seems the fruit gave her a burst of energy. Maker, help me.</em> He stood up beside her, expecting her to ask to be carried again but instead, she tugged on his sleeve and pointed down the street. They marched down the street for a time before she came to a stop in the middle of a fork in the road.</p>
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  <p>“What is it?” He asked crouching down to her level, unsure of what she needed this time. <em>I am so close to getting her to where she needs to be. What the kriffing hell does she need now?!</em> She pursed her lips and looked down each road, unsure of which path to take.</p>
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  <p>“I think school is this way,” she said, pointing to a path on the left. “I’m not sure.”</p>
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  <p>“Why don’t we walk down that way and if it’s the wrong way we’ll just turn around and walk down the other one?” He asked her, hoping she would agree. She nodded and he stood up, holding out his hand to her. She grasped it, her smaller hand curling around three of his fingers and they resumed their stroll down the street.</p>
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  <p>“Shiny?”</p>
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  <p>“Yes?”</p>
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  <p>“Will you hold Titi for me?” She asked as she held up her plushie to him. Din let out a small sigh but nodded at her request. He took the plushie from her grip and carefully held it in his hand as they continued walking. She began to chatter about her life, and he would nod along to her words or give short replies.</p>
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  <p>“Do you have a Titi too?”</p>
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  <p>“No, not since I was your age.”</p>
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  <p>“How about a favorite color?”</p>
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  <p>“I suppose.” His mind drifting to an image of a sunset, imagining the streaks of color flowing through the sky. <em>Her</em> favorite colors had now become his.</p>
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  <p>“What is it?”</p>
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  <p>“Red and yellow,” he replied.</p>
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  <p>“Those are my mommy’s favorite colors too!” She exclaimed, flailing her u occupier hand about. Din pondered her words. <em>Her mother couldn’t be –</em> he stopped himself from thinking such thoughts. There could be no way that you were on this planet, and it would be too much of a coincidence if you were. If the little girl he was guiding back turned out to be none other than your own daughter then the meeting would be pure happenstance. <em>Lots of people like red and yellow,</em> he reasoned to himself. <em>It’s impossible and completely improbable that this child is hers.</em></p>
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  <p>“Do you have a father?” He asked curiously.</p>
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  <p>“No, it’s just mommy and me,” she replied, before changing the subject, clearly a little uncomfortable by the question. “What your favorite creature?”</p>
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  <p>“I don’t have one,” came his reply. She gasped loudly, looking up at him with wide eyes.</p>
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  <p>“Everyone has a favorite creature! Do you like porgs?” He shook his head. “Fathiers? Banthas? Wampas? Clawbirds? Geejaws? A krayt dragon!?”</p>
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  <p>“I don’t have a favorite animal.” She gawked at him.</p>
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  <p>“But everyone does!” She looked at him with big eyes, pouting at his lack of favorite animal. He let out a sigh, once again giving in to her charm.</p>
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  <p>“I suppose I would like the krayt dragon if I had a favorite,” he replied, glancing down at her to see a grin spread across her face. “How do you know about so many different creatures?”</p>
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  <p>“My mommy tells me all about them,” came her reply. He nodded and saw that they had come upon a school.</p>
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  <p>“Is this your school?” He asked as he released her hand and squatted down to face her, holding out her plushie. She furiously nodded and took the Ewok back, grinning at him. Suddenly, she lunged at him, throwing her arms around his neck in a hug. He was shocked. He had not been touched like this in a very very long time. The faint memory of the only other time coming to the forefront of his mind.</p>
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  <p>
    <strong>-FLASHBACK-</strong>
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  <p>He had been traveling with you for quite some time now, almost a year by his count. No, he was not keeping track…. You had taken to chatting away with him every moment you both had, and he had opened himself up to you even more. He noticed that you had been touchier as of late, often poking him in the side when you would find a misplaced tool, or when he forgot to move a box in the cargo hold and you would run into it. Other times you would tap the cheek of his helmet, grinning at him while throwing a sarcastic comment his way.</p>
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  <p>
    <strong>“Don’t be so serious, Mando, you’re going to get grey hairs.” (Silence) </strong>
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  <p>
    <strong>“You should clean your ears since you can’t hear me.” (Silence)</strong>
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  <p>
    <strong>“If I punched your helmet would it break my hand or my wrist? Or both?” (Silence)</strong>
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  <p>
    <strong>“If you don’t reply to me, I’m going to shut you out of the cockpit and open the hatch to the cargo hold.” (No, you won’t.)</strong>
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  <p>You had also been making it a habit to put your head on his shoulder, facing the same direction as him, when he was piloting the Crest. The sound of your voice next to his ear always sent a shiver down his back and he was appreciative of the helmet covering his face so you could not see the blush that crept up his face.</p>
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  <p>One day, however, you decided to take it one step further. He had just come back from hunting a bounty when you saw him clutching his side and blood seeping out between his fingers as he staggered onto the ramp.</p>
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  <p>“Kriffing hell, Din! So, help me, Maker, I am going to kill you if you bleed out!” You shouted at him, grabbing the medkit and rushing to his side. He let out a quiet chuckle at your words.</p>
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  <p>“I think it would be impossible to kill me if I bled out,” he replied in a deadpan voice.</p>
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  <p>“Well, how about we don’t test that theory out, hmm?” you had retorted while you went to pull his shirt up and apply the bacta spray. He grabbed your hand, stopping your movement.</p>
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  <p>“I’ll do it,” he firmly said, holding his hand out to you. You huffed and rolled your eyes and handed him the spray. He turned his side away from you and lifted his shirt, making sure you could not see the torn flesh and the bleeding wound and applied the bacta, winced at the contact. Once the wound was thoroughly covered he let his shirt fall back into place, turning back to you and handing the spray back.</p>
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  <p>“What happened out there?” You inquired.</p>
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  <p>“Got attacked by a nightscowl in the forest,” he replied with a long breath. Without warning you threw yourself against him, looping your arms around his midsection, careful to avoid his wound. You buried your head into his chest, resting your cheek against the cold beskar. His eyes widened at the contact, unsure of how to respond. You squeezed his uninjured side slightly and pulled away, not expecting him to hug you back.</p>
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  <p>“Don’t let that happen again, okay?” You pleaded up at him. He gazed down at your sullen face and nodded. “Good. Otherwise, I will bring you back from the afterlife just to kill you myself.”</p>
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  <p>
    <strong>-END FLASHBACK-</strong>
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  <p>“Thank you, Shiny,” she quietly spoke against his shoulder, causing him to snap out of the memory and he looped his arms around her small frame, gently hugging her back. After a moment he broke away, pulling her hands from around his neck and bringing them to her sides.</p>
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  <p>“We’re back at your school now, so don’t wander off again, okay?” He said sternly but with a twinge of gentleness breaking through the surface. Dinah nodded her head in understanding. “Good. Take care, little one.”</p>
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  <p>She turned and ran towards the entrance of the school and Din kept a watchful eye on her until she walked into the building. He let out a sigh and turned around, thinking about how the little girl reminded him so much of you. He thought of how she chattered in a similar manner that you once did. Much like you, she did not care that he had nothing to contribute to the conversation, content with carrying the dialogue regardless. The endless questions directed at him, trying to coax an answer out, even if it was a short one. The excitement she showed when she saw the fruit stand. The way she inhaled the fruit without a care in the world. If he did not know any better, he would have thought she really was your child, but he knew that was not the case. If it did happen to be true then the universe, or fate, whoever it was, was playing a twisted and cruel joke on him, dangling his deepest desires in front of him but just out of reach.</p>
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  <p>Din was so engrossed with thoughts of the little girl and her comparison to you that he missed the way a suspicious figure turned away from him and rummaged through a speeder that was most definitely not theirs. Had he been less preoccupied, he would have noticed that the women he had been so intent on finding the last few years, stood mere feet away from him just moments ago.</p>
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  <p>
    <strong>Fate truly was sadistic and unmerciful.</strong>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. I Wanna Know</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Summary: Reader flees, yet again, this time to Sorgan, but this time events transpire that cause more heartbreak.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Slow burnnnn (like really slow), ALL THE ANGST (should you expect anything less at this point?)</p><p>Song: I Wanna Know by NOTD and Bea Miller</p><p>A/N: I highly recommend listening to the songs the chapters are titled after. It’ll help with the angst.😁</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><h1>
  <b>Reader’s POV</b>
</h1><hr/><p>You stayed on Takodana for another six months after Dinah’s run-in with a certain someone<em>.</em> She could not stop talking about her new friend and how nice he was, getting her fruit, catching a loth kitten for her, the list was endless. You would always nod, listening to her ramble on and on, a pang of hurt the whole time she spoke. The sight of him caring for her, not knowing she was his child, made your heart hurt with longing. You still had the dreams of him. Standing in the field embracing you, holding you tightly in his arms. Each and every time it would always end the same. Whenever you woke up in a cold sweat, you would check on Dinah, making sure you had not woken her, breathing out a sigh of relief at her sleeping form. <em>The child sleeps like a kriffing rock. I envy her.</em></p><p>You delayed leaving the planet during those six months, keeping your eyes peeled in case he came back, except he never did. You figured he had been there on a hunt in the first place, coming across his daughter by pure chance. Chances are he would not return unless it was for another bounty, though you still hoped. After waiting for a possible reappearance that never happened, you ultimately decided to move on, getting bored with life on Takodana. You felt like the Maker was constantly toying with you. Putting unrealistic thoughts in your head that he would come back, deducing you were on that particular planet, but after six long months, you grew tired of waiting.</p><p>You decided to venture to an Outer Rim sector, once again, giving up hope that he would find you. You contemplated where to go and decided that Sorgan would be a suitable alternative. After all, it was a planet very much like Takodana, which was situated deep without the Outer Rim territories, and the sunsets there was a marvel to admire. The night you told Dinah that you were leaving for Sorgan she had complained, but surprisingly did not throw a tantrum, having accepted that you both lived a life on the constant move. You told her about the forests, lakes, and the animals that resided there, and she expressed excitement at the possibility of seeing other types of creatures.</p><hr/><p><strong>-FLASHBACK-</strong> </p><p>“Dinah,” you softly spoke, gently rousing her from her slumber. “Dinah.”</p><p>“Mama?” she yawned out, stretching her little arms as she sat up, and looked up at you.</p><p>“We have to leave again, sweetie,” you said, bracing yourself for a meltdown from your three-year-old. You thought her meltdown at two years old was bad and did not want a repeat of that. She crossed her arms and pouted, bottom lip sticking out.</p><p>“But why?” she questioned, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed.</p><p>“It’s just time for us to move on, honey,” you explained. You were not sure how to broach the truth with her, tell her why you were both leaving. She let out a huff at your words and let out a whine.</p><p>“Do we have to?” You nodded your head, picking her up and placing her on your hip.</p><p>“Sometimes we have to make a home somewhere else for a while. We can explore the galaxy, meet new people, see new creatures,” you spoke as you bounced her on your hip. She pondered your attempt to convince her. You knew she loved animals and banked on her saying yes just to see more of them. She pursed her lips and then nodded.</p><p>“Okay,” she stated. “Where are we going?”</p><p>“How about Sorgan?” you asked. “It’s like here, but has frogs, and krill, and even grinjer. How does that sound? Sound like fun?” She nodded once more, this time excitement written across her face, and you set her down.</p><p>“Let’s go ahead and pack up and we will leave soon, okay?”</p><p>“Okay,” she answered with a pep in her step as she began to pick up her things.</p><p>“That’s my girl.”</p><p>
  <strong>-END FLASHBACK-</strong>
</p><hr/><p>You had traveled it to Sorgan without incident, finding a secluded hut at the edge of a quiet village to call home. Unlike the neighboring settlement beyond the forest, no raiders came to yours, which you were thankful for. You were a skilled fighter, but you never wanted your daughter to witness that darker side of you. The side that you hid away and hoped would never have to unleash. You both settled onto the planet fairly fast, Dinah adjusting to her new environment with ease. The nearby village was full of krill farmers and they were very pleasant, welcoming you to the area with open arms. Every day you and Dinah would walk the fifteen minutes or so, through the forest, so she could play with the children of that settlement.</p><p>She had become friends with a young girl, Winta, and you were happy that there were others approximately her age to socialize with. <em>She was never a shy child,</em> thinking back to <em>that</em> time on Takodana. Of course, you had become acquainted with Winta’s widowed mother, Omera, and you both bonded over being single mothers. She understood the struggle of raising a child alone, although you never told her about Dinah’s father being very much alive. You let her assume that he had died, much like her own husband, and she never questioned it.</p><p>You felt guilty for withholding such a secret from your friend, but you were not sure how to explain that a Mandalorian had fathered Dinah, and then left you. After all, children in the Mandalorian culture were revered and cherished. As the days and then months passed, you watched Dinah grow, turning four shortly after your arrival on Sorgan. It seemed that after she turned four, she had boundless amounts of energy, frequently running ahead of you to Omera’s village. She found the krill they farmed particularly interesting, and would watch entranced as the farmers harvested the tiny blue creatures, giggling as they squirmed around in the baskets. Sometimes she would try and catch the frogs with the other children, hopping about as if they were frogs themselves. Yes, you both had certainly found a tranquil place to call home. For the time being at least. You had an inkling that something would change once more, in the coming future, but you were uncertain of when.</p><hr/><p><b><em>-A YEAR AND A HALF LATER-</em></b> </p><p>You had been dwelling on Sorgan for almost two years now, and you paid no mind to the troubles that seemed to always lurk on the horizon. Dinah was now five and grew more energetic and adventurous as the years passed. Although you both lived in the settlement on the other side of the forest from Omera’s, you would regularly let her wander farther ahead of you, keeping a watchful eye on her. The side of the forest you lived near never had any threats, but unfortunately, you were not able to say the same for the side Omera lived by. Raiders had been attacking them more frequently, and the villagers were never able to fight back. You constantly wanted to find some way of driving their assailants away, but you would never be able to take them alone. However, their prayers would be answered in the most unusual way, a way that would come to cause you further heartache and later hate.</p><p>The day began like every other, nothing out of the ordinary. You and Dinah would wake up and have breakfast, then collect some of the fruits and vegetables that grew just outside of the hut. You had made sure to plant an apple and orange tree in your quaint little garden, knowing your daughter would grumble about the lack of the favorite fruit. After that, you would both venture through the forest towards Omera’s village.</p><hr/><p>As you traversed through the trees you heard the distinct roar of a ship, but the tree canopy was too thick for you to see through. You felt a tug in your gut, one you had not felt in a relatively long time, telling you something was amiss, but you paid it no thought. <em>I am just being paranoid. This is ridiculous. There could be no way.</em> You continued your journey through the woods until you entered the clearing, Dinah darting over to the group of children that played by a wagon. Even though it took roughly fifteen minutes to trudge through the foliage, she always had the energy to frolic about with the younglings.</p><p>You shook your head at her enthusiasm and proceeded to Omera’s hut.</p><p>“Hello, Omera,” you greeted her from the doorway, seeing her place some dishes down.</p><p>“Good morning!” she happily welcomed, standing up to walk over and join you in the entryway. You both stood and observed your daughters interact, laughing at their attempts to catch a frog. They began to squat down and jump, imitating the creatures and you shook your head at their silliness.</p><p>“How are you this morning?” you inquired, turning to face her.</p><p>“I am well. Caben and Stoke saw a ship land not too long ago, and are making their way to find the person it belongs to. It will most likely take all day. Perhaps they can help and we can finally be rid of the bandits,” she replied. The troubled feeling you had earlier returned at the mention of the ship.</p><p>“I see. Well, that will be a good thing,” you affirmed. “Hopefully, whoever it is that landed will be able to assist.” she nodded at your words; hope written all over her face.</p><p>“Sometimes, I wish we lived in your village,” Omera mumbled. “No fear of raiders. No harvests lost. Just a peaceful home.”</p><p>“You could,” you returned. “It is not far from here, just a few minutes journey across the woods.” The other woman bowed her head with a sigh.</p><p>“I do not know how you do it, but I would never be able to do that. Travel back and forth between our villages,” she uttered. “And I do not think Winta would be very pleased to move.”</p><p>“I understand,” you stated, knowing how hard it was to convince a child to move away from their home and friends.</p><hr/><p>Several hours passed as you and Omera prepared meals for your lively youngsters, when Dinah walked into the hut, closely followed by Winta. The two girls let out a yawn as they went to sit down on the bed.</p><p>“Mama, I’m hungry,” Winta whined out. Omera rolled her eyes at her daughter, tossing over a piece of bread. You did the same with Dinah, and the two of them ravenously devoured the food. You let out a chuckle at how hungry they were, passing them each a bowl of bone broth.</p><p>“Eat up,” you instructed. “We are going to stay here tonight.” The two youngsters cheered, jumping up, almost spilling their food.</p><p>“Winta!” Omera scolded, causing both girls to halt their actions and sit back down, silently sipping their broth. You rose, stretched your back, as you walked outside. You gazed up at the darkening sky, taking a deep breath as you admired the colors that streaked across the evening sky. Sunset truly was your favorite time of the day. After a few moments, you re-entered the hut and spotted the two girls sound asleep on the cot, and you grinned.</p><p>“They wore themselves out, didn’t they?” you chuckled. Omera let out a laugh of her own in agreement, as she began to pick up after the two children. You laid a blanket over the slumbering girls and situated yourself in the nearby chair. Omera settled herself on the other bed and worked to stitch a shirt while softly humming. You closed your eyes and drifted off to sleep, mentally preparing to rise early to go home.</p><hr/><p>It felt like you had just closed your eyes when the sun began to stream into the hut. You gradually opened them, eyes adjusting to the brightness, and rose from the chair. You peeked out of the window, spotting the sun peek over the tree line. You returned to the chair and picked up a needle and thread, deciding to sew together a new pair of pants for Dinah to pass the time. A few hours later you heard Omera stir and slowly sit up. You smiled at her as she noticed you and wordlessly bid you a good morning. The girls woke up soon after, and within moments the village was up and about. The children were running through the fields, sprinting between the krill pools, when you witnessed the cart in the distance exiting the trees. The sun’s rays reflected off one of the passengers in the cart, momentarily blinding you, and it took a moment for your eyes to adjust.</p><p>The first thing you saw was silver. The gleaming silver of a helmet. The headpiece of a Mandalorian. You only saw the side of it, since the head the helmet rested on was leaning against the cart, but your whole body tensed. As the cart approached, you noticed that the rest of the Mandalorian’s body was cloaked by the same silver armor. Beskar. However, you did not recognize the armor and scoured your memory for the last time you saw him, trying to remember the details. <em>Was his armor silver that day? No. No, it wasn't.</em></p><p>He did not have silver armor when he was Dinah that day. It was brown and red and very worn, covered in scuffs, but the helmet looked familiar. A little too familiar. <em>We need to leave. Now. </em>The wagon was still some distance away, but you knew you could get Dinah and make it to the safety of the tree line without being detected. You hurriedly ran to her, catching her while she raced with her friends, pulling her to you.</p><p>“Dinah, we need to go. Now,” you commanded earnestly. Confusion crossed her face, unsure of why you demanded to go right that instant.</p><p>“But mommy, I’m playing,” she whined.</p><p>“Dinah, listen to me. We need to go. Do not argue with me, please,” you pleaded with your four-year-old. She reluctantly agreed and you plucked her up and began to hurriedly walk in the opposite direction of the cart, darting between the huts as swiftly as you could.</p><p>You spotted Omera by the entrance of the farm’s barn, peering at you questioningly. You shook your head at her, not wanting to stop and explain your actions, as you proceeded on your path. Once you entered the tree line, you turned to gaze at the village, seeing the Mandalorian hop off the back of the wagon with a rifle. <em>The</em> rifle. That kriffing rifle. The same rifle <em>he</em> had used numerous times. The same rifle you had meticulously cleaned time and time again. The same rifle you had worked with countless times when you had assisted with bounties.</p><hr/><p>Your heart hammered heavily in your chest and you sucked in a breath. <em>It <b>is</b> him.</em> <em>Dank farrik. Just my kriffing luck. </em>You quickly turned away, frantically speeding your way through the forest. <em>I guess he is the one who landed and Caben and Stoke found him. Of all the people it could have been, it just had to be him. Of course. Why him of all people?!  Maker, why must you punish me? </em>Dinah stayed quiet the whole way home, clinging onto you as you ran. She could sense your unease and recognized that something was wrong. You never behaved this way. Ever. Once you reached the hut, placed her down on the bed.</p><p>“Dinah, I’m sorry, sweetie, but you cannot go over to see Winta for a while,” you firmly said, sadness laced in your voice.</p><p>“But why?” she questioned, her lip quivering. Your heart broke telling her she could not see her best friend.</p><p>“Because we need to stay here for a while, okay?” you answered. “It is not safe.”</p><p>“Not safe?”</p><p>“Yes. The bad people will be going there soon.” Dinah knew what you meant by bad people. You had told her many times about the raiders, telling her that she could not wander off into the woods alone. She recognized the urgency in your voice and nodded dejectedly. “Thank you, sweetie.”</p><p>After a while, you decided to put Dinah down for a nap. Once you were certain she would not wake, you scurried through the forest silently and crouched, hidden in the thick green brush. You had brought your rifle with you, intending to use the scope to spy on the settlement. You had procured the rifle six months after you came to Takodana as a means of protection, should a threat come your way. Now you were using it to spy on your former lover. <em>I feel like I’m hunting the hunter.</em></p><p>You rolled your eyes at the irony. As long as you stayed hidden in the shrubbery, your presence would remain undetected. You watched as Omera approached the barn with a tray of food. You lost sight of her as she entered, but moved to focus your gaze on the open window. You observed her set the tray down beside the window and saw Winta run inside. The child exited the barn with a small green creature following after her and you raised your eyebrow in confusion. You refocused on the window and saw <em>him</em> rush to the doorway as if to stop the little creature from leaving. Omera stopped him and he backed away, exiting your field of vision. She began to speak, and you wished you could hear their conversation. <em>Was he talking to her? What could he be saying? He was always so reserved, and it took months before he would even talk to me. Months of my hounding and rambling before he spoke a word beyond ordering me around.</em></p><p>Jealously rippled through you, seeing him approach her and gesture towards the children. He stood so close. Too close. After a moment, she eventually left the barn and you saw him move to the window. He lifted a plate of food, placing it on the windowsill, and you witnessed him lift his hands. To his helmet. You quickly averted your eyes, not wanting to glimpse the face of the man who haunted your dreams. Even after all this time, you still respected him enough to respect his Creed, and did not want to unintentionally break it by spying on him. After all, it was sacred to his kind. You set your rifle down and let out a sigh. You wanted to flee the planet but did not want to put your daughter through it again, especially without saying goodbye to her friends.</p><hr/><p><b><em>-THE NEXT DAY-</em></b> </p><p>You awoke shortly after dawn, glancing over at Dinah. She was still sound asleep, so you proceeded with the morning routine. Once you finished, you placed the food on the table beside her and wrote a note telling her to wait in the hut until you returned. You then grabbed your rifle and trudged through the forest again, taking cover in some bushes when you reached the clearing. You shouldered the gun, holding it steady in your grip, peeping down your scope. You observed a line of villagers with large sticks in their hands thrusting to the command of what appeared to be a former Rebel shock trooper. <em>Looks like he has been making friends.</em></p><p>You shifted your gaze to another row of villagers, this time armed with blasters. You watched as they took turns shooting at pots and pans, all of them missing their shot, save for one. Omera. You watched as she held the blaster up to her shoulder, aiming down her sights expertly, and fired, hitting the target multiple times with ease. You saw him turn his head and stare at her, a little too long, before he nodded, and your envy flared.</p><p><em>Was he looking at her the way he used to look at me? Did she impress him more than I did?</em>  You had to give the woman some credit, she knew how to shoot. However, you were better. Far better. <em>Obviously. The only one who was more skilled was him. Just barely. </em>You knew if you chose to, you could hit her target from your position, covering the distance of the field with deadly precision. You took a deep breath, resisting the urge. <em>If I decided to do that, he would have no choice but to investigate where the shot came from and who did it. </em>As much as you wanted to, you could not take that gamble, knowing he would ultimately find you.</p><p>You returned home shortly after, seeing Dinah had awakened and was diligently reading through a book. <em>Looks like she kept herself occupied. Good.</em> At the sound of your footsteps, she glanced up and launched herself at you, throwing her arms around your waist.</p><p>“Hello, my darling,” you greeted, patting her head tenderly.</p><p>“Hi, mama,” she replied, burying her head into your stomach.</p><p>“I see you stayed just like I said.” She nodded her head and shifted her gaze to meet yours. “How about we go on a walk through the village and see if we can scrounge up a shuura fruit? What do you say?” A large grin spread across her face and she released her hold on you before exiting the hut.</p><p>“Okay!” she happily yelled as you walked outside, and she took your hand. The walk through the village was an uneventful one. You had arrived outside of the local fruit farmer’s hut within minutes and knocked.</p><p>“Hello? Dinah is that you?” the farmer asked, pulling back the makeshift door and seeing her. He turned to smile at you in greeting before retreating into his hut. A moment later, he returned several shuura fruits in his hands.</p><p>“Shuura!” Dinah exclaimed once she saw the fruits. The farmer chuckled at her excitement.</p><p>“I had a feeling you would come to visit so I saved these for you,” he warmly stated at your daughter. She graciously took them in her hands, cradling them to her chest.</p><p>“What do you say, Dinah?” you prompted.</p><p>“Oh – uh – thank you,” she answered, too excited about the fruit to pay attention to anything else. You rolled your eyes and looked at the farmer.</p><p>“Thank you,” you spoke, and he nodded back at you with a smile.</p><p>“Anything for the little one,” he replied before going back inside. You turned around and began to make your way back to your hut, listening to Dinah quietly sing to herself about the shuura fruit.</p><p>“Shuura shuura, yummy yummy. I will eat you until you are in my tummy,” she sang. “Apples and oranges are my favorite fruit, but shuura you are yummy yummy too.” A smile spread across your face as you listened to her made-up melody.</p><p>Once you returned home, you proceeded to make her a fruit salad and a stew for dinner. An hour or so later, you both ate dinner, noticing that the sun was beginning to descend behind the trees, and you decided to put Dinah to bed early so you could spy on the village. Again. She did not put up a fight when you began to get her settled, too sleepy and full of food. Once her eyes were closed, and her breathing grew steady, you kissed her forehead and swiftly left, rifle securely lung over your shoulder. You approached the clearing in record time and again took up your position, pulling the scope to your eye. You honed in on the barn and saw him leaning against the doorway as Omera exited. He, again, stood considerably close to her as they conversed before the shock trooper approached, the two warriors leaving shortly after, disappearing into the trees. <em>Hmmm</em>. You decided to sit and wait for them to return, glad that you had put your child to bed beforehand. <em>This might be a long night.</em></p><hr/><p>Sometime later you heard a ruckus and pulled up your weapon. The rifle made it easy to see the figures nestled behind barricades when an AT-ST step out of the trees. You watched as the people began to fight back, blaster fire whizzing through the air. The AT-ST opened fire, blasting parts of the barricade, but the villagers fearlessly advanced. From the corner of your eye, you saw a raider sneak up behind one of the village men. He was completely unaware of his attacker, so you made a split-second decision.</p><p>You squeezed the trigger, and watched the raider fall to the ground, the villager turning to look at the fallen body in surprise. Your shot went unnoticed and you let out a  relieved breath. Suddenly the AT-ST took a step forward, the ground quickly giving way beneath its feet. It fell over, legs crumbling under its weight, and your gaze fixed itself on the Mandalorian. He armed an explosive and sprinted to the machine, gracefully dodging blaster fire, as he threw the bomb into the hatch and retreated. The AT-ST erupted in an explosion of fire and metal, brightly illuminating the night sky. The bandits began to flee in defeat, and the villagers began to celebrate. They had done it. They had finally driven their foes off. Your happiness for them was short-lived when you remembered why they had been able to conquer their assailants. More like <em>who </em>had helped them with such a feat.</p><p>Several weeks passed, and you had returned to spy on the village several times during that time. Today, as you crept out toward the village, you decided that it would be your last. <em>This is the last time. After this, I will stop.  </em>You located him leaning against the shelter, carefully watching the little green creature play with the children. You saw Omera exit, handing the shock trooper a cup of spotchka, and turn to him to say something. Her back was turned, so you could not see her lips, but as she walked away you saw his helmet turn and follow her retreating figure. Your heart clenched, seeing him gaze at her with what appeared to be yearning. You could not see his face, but the way he held himself was enough. <em>Did he ever watch me like that? Does he love her? Is he going to stay and settle down?</em>  You set the rifle down and heaved out a sigh. You did not know how much more you could take. He had apparently moved on. If he decided to linger in the village you knew you had no other decision but to leave. Your heart would not be able to handle the heartbreak again. Seeing him interact with her was causing you more than enough anguish.</p><p>You sat and stared at the ground before hoisting the gun up for the final time<em>. </em>You choked back a sob as you found him and Omera speaking. You felt tears brim on the corners of your eyes as she raised her hands, placing them on his helmet, and start to lift. <em>No. Please no. Is he actually going to let her - no. Oh, Maker, no. </em>Trying to blink the tears away, you sucked in a breath, trying to compose. <em>I cannot take any more of this! I just can’t! </em>You harshly threw the gun down, tears now streaming down your face. <em>We need to get away from here. This is no longer our home. </em>You hastily picked up the weapon and raced through the thicket. Your resolve was unwavering. You were not going to stay here. Not in this village. Not on this planet. Not in the kriffing system. <em>Maker, please let Dinah forgive me and give me the strength to move on.</em></p><hr/><p>You rushed to the cottage, tears streaking across your cheeks as you plowed through the vegetation. Once outside, you wiped your face, removing any trace of your tears and heartbreak. You crept into the hut, seeing your daughter was still fast asleep, and you exhaled relieved breath. <em>I've done this once before, so this should be easy</em>. You began shoving things into bags, leaving anything that was not important. You threw the bag over your shoulder, rushing to your hidden ship that was concealed by the forest. You scampered into the cockpit and primed the engines for departure, dropping your bags onto the floor beside your feet.</p><p>You sprinted back and carefully picked Dinah up, holding her close raced to the ship. <em>Thank the Maker she is such a heavy sleeper.</em> You shut the hatch once you were aboard, placing Dinah in the crew’s quarters, and climbed into the cockpit. <em>Where do we go from here? Where can we go that he will not suddenly appear? </em>You studied the map, pondering where you would escape to next when your eyes landed on a planet. On the fringe of the Corellian system. Nestled in the Core region. <em>Close to home, how ironic.</em></p><p>You rolled your eyes, hating the thought of being so close to your former homeworld but knew it was a good place to disappear. <em>I know for a fact he does not take jobs that close to the Core. He doesn’t have a reason to since bounties tend to stay in the Outer Rim.</em> You mapped out your route and punched in the departure sequence, feeling the ship leave the ground. <em>Sacorria, here we come. </em>You maneuvered the ship through the tree covering with ease and shoved the throttle forward. You refused to look down at the village as you passed above it before you shot the vessel into space.</p><p>Had you remained behind, watching for just a moment longer, you would have seen the Mandalorian remove Omera’s hands from his helmet, ceasing her actions. </p><p>Had you waited, you would have seen him prepare to leave the village, accompanied by the tiny green creature.</p><p>Had you looked down, you would have seen the helmet tilt up, curiously watching the ship fly over the settlement before his wagon disappeared into the trees.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Din arrives at Sorgan and helps the townsfolk with their problem but feels like someone is watching him.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Slow burnnnn (like really slow), ALL THE ANGST (should you expect anything less at this point?), violence</p><p>Song: Home by Machine Gun Kelly, X Ambassadors, Bebe Rexha</p><p>A/N: The lyrics for this song fit so well.😭</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/><h1>
  <b>Reader’s POV</b>
</h1><hr/><p>After Takodana, Din had gone back to Nevarro to turn in and collect more pucks from Karga. The bounties kept him rather busy the last two years, until the day he met the Child on Arvala-4. His run-in with the little girl on Takodana had altered his view on children. Before meeting her, he would not have thought twice about turning the Child over to the Imps. However, something inside of him had shifted after that encounter. When he saw the helpless green creature, looking up at him with its large eyes, he felt protective over it but knew he would have to hand it over. His job as a bounty hunter, and guild member, demanded it, and he was not one to abandon his duty. After all, he had a reputation to keep.</p><p>Nevertheless, he felt regret, recalling its terrified face as it cried out to him, as he stood there and watched. After he left, he felt remorseful, a nagging feeling pulling him back to the Imperial hideout after he had received his newly forged Beskar armor. He felt undeserving of the payment, especially since the Child had protected him from the mudhorn with its mysterious powers. He knew he needed to go back. And go back he did.</p><p>Now he was being hunted by the disbanded Empire scoundrels, who would stop at nothing to reacquire their prize. He needed to find a safe place for the youngling, knowing he could not risk any bounty hunters, or Imperials, finding either of them. Especially after the shootout on Nevarro. He was aware that the Child was important to the remnants of the fallen regime, but he was still at loss as to why. <em>What made him so special?</em> The Child sat in the chair behind him, as he piloted the Crest, but he sensed the kid was restless. Just as he predicted it crawled up next to him on the dashboard, watching the stars fly by. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw it flip a switch, and he let out a sigh, flipping a switch on the opposite side of the panel. Again, The Child reached over and flicked the switch in response.</p><p>“Stop touching things,” he said firmly, trying not to grow agitated at the little creature. It looked up at him innocently, its ears wiggling about before it reached over, and flicked the switch once again, keeping eye contact the entire time. The ship jolted and began to shake at the action. <em>Dank farrik!</em> Din quickly grabbed the Child and placed it on his lap, keeping a firm grip to prevent it from causing any more trouble. He surveyed the systems located in the Outer Rim, contemplating which one would be a secluded enough location to hide at. <em>The Outer Rim Territories are a pretty safe bet, but which system is out of the way enough that nobody would go looking for us there?</em> He spotted Sorgan, a planet situated deep within the Outer Rim Territories, the only habitable object in that star system. <em>Perfect.</em></p><p>“Let’s see. Sorgan,” he said out loud, pulling up the information on the planet. “Looks like there’s no star port, no industrial centers, no population density. Real backwater skug hole. Which means it’s perfect for us.” <em>Thank the Maker. </em>The Child looked up at him curiously.</p><p>“You ready to lay low and stretch your legs for a couple of months, you little womp rat?” he asked, not expecting a response from the creature. “Nobody’s gonna find us here.” He entered the coordinates for the Sorgan, and they were off. Once they reached the isolated planet, he found a clearing where he could stow the Crest, initiating the landing sequence. He felt the ship touch down and pushed a few buttons before he spotted the Child reaching for the silver knob.</p><p>“Listen. I’m gonna go out there and look around. It shouldn’t take too long,” he said to the creature as he stood up and set it on the pilot’s seat. “Now, don’t touch anything. I’ll find us some lodging, then I’ll come back for you.” The youngling looked up at him, tilting its head, ears slightly moving as if it could understand his words.</p><p>“You stay right there. You stay,” he said, pointing his finger at it. “Don’t move. You understand? Great.” Din walked down to the cargo hold and pressed a button, lowering the ramp. He felt a presence beside him and turned, finding nothing until he glanced down. The Child stood beside him, looking up at him with googly eyes, and he let out a sigh.</p><p>“Oh, what the hell…Come on.” He began to walk out of the ship and the Child followed as fast as his little legs could carry him. <em>Reminds me of that little girl from Takodana.</em></p><hr/><p>Din and The Child arrived at a common house where a variety of people were, many of them turning to gaze at the two newcomers, an unusual sight to behold. A woman in the corner was intently watching them, and he took note of her presence. She seemed to be on edge. The two of them went to sit at a table, shortly being greeted by a woman.</p><p>“Welcome, travelers. Can I interest you in anything?”</p><p>“Bone broth, for the little one,’ he replied.</p><p>“Oh, well, you’re in luck. I just took down a grinjer, so there’s plenty. Can I interest you in a porringer of broth as well?” she asked him kindly. He shook his head.</p><p>“Just the one.”</p><p>“Very well – “ she began to say and he cut her off.</p><p>“That one over there, when did she arrive?” motioning his head to the mysterious onlooker.</p><p>“Uh...I've seen her here for the last week or so…” the woman replied, unsure of how to respond to his questioning.</p><p>“What's her business here?”</p><p>“Business? Oh well...there's not much business in Sorgan so I can't say...” He tossed a coin on the table and she looked down at it, taking a moment before speaking.</p><p>“She doesn't strike me as a log runner...well...” she stated and picked up the coin. “Thank you, sir. I will get that broth to you as soon as possible, and I will throw in a flagon of spotchka, just for good measure. I'll be right back with that.” She scurried away, and he noticed that the woman, previously watching them, had disappeared. He stood up to leave and tossed a coin at the woman who had returned with the food.</p><p>“Keep an eye on the kid,” he commanded. She caught the coin with wide eyes and nodded.</p><p>“Yes, sir.”</p><p>He exited the building and looked around, changing a setting in his heads-up display to find her footprints, spotting them going between the huts, but suddenly ended. He looked around in confusion for a moment before he turned in time for her to kick him in the chest, landing a punch to his helmet shortly after. She went in for another punch and he dodged it, her fist colliding with the wall with a crack. Punches were thrown, kicks were landed, both fighting with all their might. <em>Kriffing hell she’s strong. </em>He was thrown to the ground with a grunt. Getting fed up with the fight, he engaged his flamethrower but she was faster, stepping on his arm to halt his attempt. More punches were thrown, and she flipped him over, and he landed on his back with a thud. They both rolled, hands locked to try and stop the other before they drew their blasters, aiming them at each other. Both were panting when they heard a slurping sound and looked over to see the Child watching them as he sipped the broth. He let out a breath.</p><p>“You want some soup?”</p><p>He learned that Cara had been a former Rebel drop trooper, having fled her post to hide out in Sorgan. She had thought that he was after her, him being a bounty hunter and all, explaining the reasoning behind her aggressive assault on him. As she left, she informed him that only one of them could hide on the planet unless he wanted to fight again. He let out a sigh and turned to the Child.</p><p>“Well, looks like this planet's taken.”</p><hr/><p>Din prepared to leave, repairing parts of the Crest when he was approached by two men.</p><p>“Excuse me,” one spoke, the other one close behind him.</p><p>“Excuse me, sir.”</p><p>“There something I can help you with?” he  asked with irritation, wanting to finish his repairs in peace and be off.</p><p>“Uh...yeah... Raiders,” came a timid reply.</p><p>“We have money,” the other one added.</p><p>“So you think I'm some kind of mercenary?” he replied, back still turned to them, continuing his repairs.</p><p>“You are a Mandalorian, right?”</p><p>“Or at least wearing Mandalorian armor... That is Mandalorian armor, right?” the one with the hat asked. He turned to face them.</p><p>“It is.”</p><p>“See?! I told him,” the man continued, stammering as he spoke. “Sir, I've read a lot about your people...er...tri -  tribe... If half of what I read is true - "</p><p>“We have money,” his friend cut in.</p><p>“ How much?” not wanting to waste his time if they were not offering a substantial amount.</p><p>“It's everything we have, sir. Our whole harvest was stolen.”</p><p>“Krill... We're...krill farmers,”</p><p>“We brew spotchka. Our whole village chipped in.” Din faced them as the curly-haired one held up a small bag of coins.</p><p>“It's not enough,” he said, turning to walk away and the two men followed him.</p><p>“Are you sure? You don't even know what the job is.”</p><p>“I know it's not enough,” came his clipped reply. “Good luck.”</p><p>“This is everything we have. We'll give you more after the next harvest,” they pleaded. He opened the hatch and they stumbled back, startled. They began to walk away, disappointed by his unwillingness to help them. As he walked up the ramp he heard them talking.</p><p>”Come on. Let's head back.”</p><p>“Took us the whole day to get here. Now we have to ride back with no protection to the middle of nowhere.” His ears picked up their words, stopping him in his tracks.</p><p>“Where do you live?” he inquired, the two men turning toward him at the sound of his voice.</p><p>“At a farm,” the curly-haired man replied dejectedly. “Weren't you listening? We're farmers.”</p><p>“In the middle of nowhere,” he clarified.</p><p>“Yes,” came his confused reply.</p><p>“You have lodging?”</p><p>“Yeah. Absolutely,” came his reply, perking up with hope.</p><p>“Good,” he answered. “Come up and help.”</p><p>The two men began to help him load cargo into their cart.</p><p>“I'm gonna need one more thing. Give me those credits,” he said, holding his hand out. The man handed him the small bag of coins and he made his way through the forest, tracking Cara down. He quickly found her, sitting by a campfire, and dropped the coins next to her. Startled, she drew her blaster on him.</p><p>“Ready for round two?</p><hr/><p>They rode through the night until they arrived at the village, the sound of children’s laughter filling the air. The children were cheering at their arrival as they took in their surroundings. <em>In the middle of nowhere indeed. </em>The village was nestled in a large clearing, encompassed by trees on all sides.</p><p>“Well, looks like they are happy to see us,” he spoke, the children’s cheerful demeanor reminding him of the little girl he met. <em>Dinah.</em> He watched as the children approached the cart to greet the Child and it cooed at them.</p><p>“Looks like,” Cara replied with a smile. They hopped off the cart, Din holding his rifle over his shoulder as he made his way to a structure that the men, Caben and Stoke, had pointed him to. As he walked a strange feeling flowed over him, as if someone was watching his movements. The farmers began to unload the wagon happy that they were getting help from a Mandalorian. He walked toward the hut and stopped just outside the doorway, seeing a woman tying the rope for the blinds to a beam in the middle of the room.</p><p>“Please come in,” she greeted as he stepped in with a crate and set it down. “I hope this is comfortable for you. Sorry that all we have is the barn.”</p><p>“This will do fine,” he replied, back turned to her, unloading the contents of the crate.</p><p>“I stacked some blankets over here,” she stated pointing to them.</p><p>“Thank you. That's...very kind,” he awkwardly replied, back still turned when he heard footsteps and whirled around. He spotted a little girl just outside the barn, and she backed away to hide. The woman moved the little girl back into view, holding her against her side.</p><p>“This is my daughter, Winta. We don't get a lot of visitors around here. She's not used to strangers,” the woman explained. “This nice man is going to help protect us from the bad ones.”</p><p>“Thank you,” the girl said. He nodded at her, helmet tilting slightly, almost appearing not to move.</p><p>“Come on, Winta. Let's give our guests some room.” The two of them exited the barn, as he awkwardly stood there, eyes following them. After a moment he turned to continue unpacking and getting settled, taking a deep breath, the surroundings reminding him of Takodana. Only it wasn’t. For some reason, he could not get the thoughts of his time there out of his mind. The little girl, Winta, slightly reminded him of Dinah, and he thought about how old she would be now. <em>She would be around five or so now, I think. </em>She had certainly left an impression on him in their short time together.</p><hr/><p>A while later, he was cleaning his rifle, the Child stood in a crib watching him when he heard footsteps, followed by a voice.</p><p>“Knock, knock.”</p><p>“Come in,” he replied to the woman, who he had learned was named Omera. She walked in with a tray of food, her daughter following close behind her.</p><p>“Can I feed him?” the little girl asked, walking over to the Child.</p><p>“Sure,” he answered as he turned around. He watched as Winta knelt by the crib, holding up some food.</p><p>“Are you hungry?” she asked the Child with a giggle. “Can I play with him?” He let out a breath.</p><p>“Sure.” He took the Child out of the crib and set him down, watching as Winta made her exit, the little green creature following her. He rushed toward the door with worry, but Omera held her arm out to stop him.</p><p>“I don't think – “</p><p>“They'll be fine,” she reassured him.</p><p>“I don't – “ he tried to protest, but she repeated herself.</p><p>“They'll be fine. At her words, he retreated into the barn, with a sigh. “I brought you some food. I noticed you didn't eat out there. I'll leave it here for when I go.”</p><p>“That's very thoughtful of you,” he mumbled, turning away, feeling awkward at her kindness.</p><p>“Do you mind if I ask you something?”</p><p>“Go ahead.”</p><p>“How long has it been since you've taken that off?”</p><p>“Yesterday.”</p><p>“I mean in front of someone else,” she elaborated, catching him off guard for a moment. Din’s mind began to race with thoughts of you. The last time he had taken his helmet off was with you in the darkness of the Crest. The night the both of you have given into your desires. His heart clenched at the memory, guilt coursing through him. He turned around, standing in front of the woman, and pointed out the window at the children galivanting outside.</p><p>”I wasn't much older than they are,” he stated, unsure of why he was explaining this to some woman. Some woman who wasn’t you.</p><p>“You haven't shown your face to anyone since you were a kid?” she asked in shock.</p><p>“No.” he lied, thoughts of you swirling in his mind. How he wished you had seen his face, even for a moment. He longingly wished he had removed his helmet to glimpse your beauty through his own eyes instead of the visor. “I was...happy that they took me in. My parents were killed, and the Mandalorians took care of me.”</p><p>“I'm sorry,” she replied, sadness in her voice. He could tell that she pitied him and she reminded him of you. <em>Their caring and compassionate natures are very similar. Though you were much more outspoken.</em> He remembered the way you would ramble on and on, and he smiled under the helmet at the fond memory. However, his smile quickly faded when he recalled his actions that had tainted those memories.</p><p>“This is the way,” he responded, idly watching the Child play, wishing you were there with the two of them. <em>I wish you were here to guide me through what to do. Watch over him as a mother would. Just here with me. With us.</em> He knew that under your strong façade you were kind at heart and would fight tooth and nail to help protect the Child as if it were your own.</p><p>“Let us know if there's anything you need.”                                                                    </p><p>“Thank you.” She left him to his thoughts and meal. Standing by the window, he placed the plate of food and cup on the sill in front of him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he once again felt like he was being watched. His senses told him that someone was lurking about and he grew worried. Looking around the settlement, he did not see anything out of the ordinary. Nobody was looking toward the window, everyone busy with various tasks. He decided that it was nothing and shook the feeling off. In the privacy of the barn, he removed his helmet, placing it next to the plate, and began to eat the meal.</p><hr/><p>Later that day, Din and Cara made their way through the forest the farmers had told them the raiders came from. He adjusted the settings on his heads-up display and saw the recent footsteps.</p><p>“About fifteen or twenty of them came through here on foot,” sharing his observations. He looked around and then up, seeing damage on the trees. “And something big sheared off those branches.” They moved on and crouched down beside a giant footprint, studying the shape.</p><p>“AT-ST,” Cara said in an unhappy tone.</p><p>“Imperial Walker. What's it doing here?” he spoke out, not liking this new development. <em>We were only told it was raiders,  not a kriffling AT-ST.</em></p><p>“I don't know. But this is more than I signed up for,” she replied, and he silently agreed with her. He let out a sigh as they made their way back to the village and stood at the front of the barn, waiting a moment before addressing the farmers.</p><p>“Bad news. Y'can't live here anymore,” he bluntly stated, not bothering to sugarcoat the reality of the situation.</p><p>“What?” Stoke spoke in surprise.</p><p>“Why?” Caben asked in confusion.</p><p>“Nice bedside manner...” Cara mumbled to him.</p><p>“You think you can do better?” he quipped back.</p><p>“Can't do much worse,” she responded before turning to address the people. “I know this is not the news you wanted to hear but there are no other options.”</p><p>“You took the job!” Stoke exclaimed, unhappy that they were told they had to leave their home.</p><p>“Yeah!” came Caben’s voice in agreement.</p><p>“That was before we knew about the AT-ST,” she replied, annoyed that they had withheld that information from them.</p><p>“What is that?”</p><p>“The armored walker with two enormous guns that you knew about and didn't tell us,” Cara retorted, displeasure in her tone. The villagers began to shout.</p><p>“Help us!”</p><p>“Please!!”</p><p>“You're supposed to help us!”</p><p>”But we hired you!”</p><p>”Please!”</p><p>“We have nowhere to go,” Omera’s voice spoke over the crowd.</p><p>“Sure you do. This is a big planet. I mean, I've seen a lot smaller,” Cara answered nonchalantly.</p><p>“My grandparents seeded these pods,” came Caben’s voice.</p><p>“It took generations,” Stoke added.</p><p>“I understand. I do,” Cara said, trying to calm them. “But there are only two of us.”</p><p>“No there's not! There's at least twenty here!” Stoke threw out.</p><p>“Yeah!”</p><p>“I mean fighters. Be realistic,” Cara responded with a small eye-roll.</p><p>“We can learn!”</p><p>“We can!”</p><p>“Give us a chance!”</p><p>“Please!”</p><p>“I've seen that thing take out entire companies of soldiers in a matter of minutes,” Cara stated, remembering the battles she had fought in against those machines. Against the Imperials inside them.</p><p>“We're not leaving,” Omera c firmly.</p><p>“You cannot fight that thing.”</p><p>“Unless we show them how,” Din interjected. <em>Ah, what the hell, it’s worth a shot I guess.</em></p><p>“Show us!”</p><p>“Yeah, we can do this!”</p><p>It was decided. They would teach the villagers how to fight back against their attackers.</p><hr/><p>“You got two problems here. You got the bandits, and you got the mech,” he began to explain. “We'll handle the AT-ST, but you gotta protect us when they come outta the woods. And I don't have to tell you how dangerous they are. Cara Dune here was a veteran. She was a drop soldier for the Rebellion, and she's gonna lay out a plan for you. So listen. Carefully.” He signaled for Cara to take over and she began to speak.</p><p>“Now, there's nothing on this planet that can damage the legs on this thing. So we're gonna build a trap. We're gonna need to dig real deep,” she said pointing to the edge of the farthest krill pool. “Right here, so that when it steps in, it drops.” The people hung on to her every word, nodded their heads with the strategy. They began to dig in the krill pool, following the two warrior’s directions on what to do.</p><p>“The two of us will hit their camp, provoke them. That'll bring the fight out of the woods and down here to us,” Cara explained further.</p><p>“I'm gonna need you to cut down trees and build barricades along these edges,” Din instructed the villagers, and they followed his words, beginning to cut down wood and build the barricades. He continued to speak. “I need it high enough so that they can't get over, and strong enough so that it can't break through. Okay. Who knows how to shoot?” Omera slowly raised her hand out of the crowd. He sighed and nodded. He began to unpack his arsenal, handing them out to half of the farmers, as Cara began to train the other half on melee techniques. Din stood to the side, watching his half of the villagers lined up and aim at the targets situated far enough that it would be a small challenge, but close enough that they would still have a good chance of hitting it.</p><p>“Fire!” he shouted and each of the villagers began shooting haphazardly, missing almost every shot. Save for one. Omera. Her aim was steady and true, her stance solid, as she held the blaster and fired, hitting the target several times. The feeling of being watched returned, sending a small shiver down his spine, but he shook it off. He did not have time to worry about that right now. <em>Later.</em> He turned to look at the woman, a multitude of thoughts flooding his mind as he gave her a small nod, acknowledging her skill. <em>She reminds me so much of <b>her</b></em>, he thought. <em>Although Omera is a good shot, she is not as good as <b>her.</b> She could easily make this shot from a much greater distance. Maybe even clear the entire span of this village with no trouble at all.</em> His thoughts rampantly raged as he continued with the training, only half paying attention. He shook his head, brushing thoughts of you aside, focusing on the task at hand. <em>Help the farmers</em>.<em> You can think about her later when you’re alone,</em> he told himself.</p><hr/><p>The day passed quickly, everyone was worn out from training and preparing for the inevitable fight looming ahead. Din stood in the doorway of the hut, elbow resting on the side, as Omera exited and stood in front of him. A little too close for his liking but he could do nothing about it without seeming rude. He had a feeling that the woman held some sort of affection for him, especially after he had spoken about his past, but he did not feel the same way. He would only ever feel that way for you. <em>I don’t know why I kriffing told her any about my past. The only other one I’ve told that to was – </em>his cut off his thoughts, addressing the woman that stood before him.</p><p>“The sun is about to set and we'll be leaving soon. When we return, we're coming in hot,” he stated and she nodded. gazing at his helmet with warmth in her eyes.</p><p>“We'll be ready.” Cara walked up and the two of them departed for the Klatooinian bandit’s camp. It took them no time to find the camp and stealthily navigate through it, to a tent. Inside they found large vats of glowing blue liquid, and he set some charges on the posts that kept the tent up. Cara alerted him to some incoming bandits and once they entered the tent the two were able to dispatch them easily. However, more enemies flooded the tent and they were forced to escape retreat.</p><p>“I hope the plan worked,” Cara said as they ran. They watched the AT-ST come to life and knew that it had. They were leading it right back to the village. Just like they planned.</p><p>“Go!” Din shouted. “GO!” The AT-ST fired on them but did not land any shots, as they continued toward the village. The two of them made it back took cover, poised and ready to go for when the assailants arrived.</p><p>“This is it! Once that thing steps in the pond it's going down!” Cara shouted. “Weapons ready!” The villagers followed her command and braced themselves. The people watched in fear as the AT-ST broke through the tree line but stopped short of the pool. <em>Dank farrik!</em></p><p>“It stopped,” Cara spoke. The machine stood outside of the perimeter and waited. Everyone held their breath, waiting for the enemy’s next move. The AT-ST suddenly flooded the field with a blinding light and they shielded their eyes. The light swept over their defenses, assessing the area, and then began firing on the huts. People began to panic, some turning to try and run away.</p><p>“Hold your positions!” Cara commanded. The Klatooinian bandits appeared from the forest and rushed toward the village. “OPEN FIRE!” Blaster shots whizzed through the air, some hitting their mark, others missing it.</p><p>“We gotta get that thing to step forward,” he expressed, trying to come up with a plan to get the giant machine to move.</p><p>“I'm thinking….New plan,” Cara said, an idea popping into her head.</p><p>“What do you have in mind?”</p><p>“Gimme the pulse rifle.” he handed her his pulse rifle, a little hesitant about someone else handling it. <em>The only person I allowed to ever use it was <b>her</b>. She looked damn good with it too.</em></p><p>“I'll cover you,” he offered as Cara got ready to jump out of their hiding place. She ran toward the AT-ST and aimed the rifle. She squeezed off a shot and the AT-ST stepped forward, but still not enough to trigger the trap. While Cara was trying to get the AT-ST to step into the trap, the villagers began to storm forward, engaging the Klatooinians head-on. Finally, Cara landed a shot into one of the windows and the machine took that last step forward, crashing into the water. Din activated a charge and ran forward, throwing the bomb into the cockpit before returning to cover. The AT-ST exploded and the raiders began to flee, their main weapon now a heap of metal spread across the area. They had done it. The farmers had won.</p><hr/><p>A few weeks later, the settlement felt more peaceful than it had before. The fear of attacks was now gone and the people were grateful. Din leaned against the hut, hands crossed over his body, braced on his belt, Cara sitting adjacent to him. He watched as the Child chased a frog and caught it, trying to eat it, and the children laughed and turned away. Embarrassed, he spat the frog out, and it hopped away. Omera emerged from the barn, handing Cara a drink and the former Rebel took it with a smile.</p><p>“Thanks,” she said, slyly eyeing the two people next to her.</p><p>“Can I set you something in the house?” Omera asked him, turning in his direction.</p><p>“Uh...thank you,” he awkwardly replied, still unsure how to let the woman in front of him know that he did not reciprocate her feelings. “Maybe later.” Omera turned to look at the children, seeing the Child happily playing.</p><p>“He's very happy here.”</p><p>“He is,” he responded.</p><p>“Fits right in.” He said nothing in return as she turned to walk away. His gaze followed her, and he let out an inaudible breath. <em>I wish you were here with me instead. Living peacefully, maybe a few children of our own running around. </em>His own thoughts took him by surprise. He had never fully admitted that dream to himself, but watching the Child with the children made him yearn for you. His dreams were one thing, but to actually think that, almost out loud, was a completely different matter. <em>I miss her so much. </em></p><p>“So, what happens if you take that thing off? They come after you and kill you?” Cara asked him curiously.</p><p>“No. You just can't ever put it back on again,” he answered.</p><p>“That's it?” Cara scoffed. “So, you can slip off the helmet, settle down with that beautiful young widow and raise your kids sitting here sipping spotchka?” He did not want to give her the satisfaction of answering that question. <em>I don’t want to settle down with Omera. I want to settle down with <b>her.</b></em> <em>Only ever with her, but I don’t even know where she is.</em> His heart tightened mournfully, missing your presence even more.</p><p>“You know, we raised some hell here a few weeks back,” he said, changing the subject to get Cara off his back. “It's too much action for a backwater town like this. Word travels fast. You might wanna cycle the charts and move on.”</p><p>“Wouldn't wanna be the one who's gotta tell him,” she stated, looking toward the Child.</p><p>“I'm leaving him here. Traveling with me – “ He stopped himself, sadness creeping in at the memory of another time he had left someone behind for their safety, “that's no life for a kid. I did my job, he's safe. Better chance at a life.”</p><p>“It's gonna break his little heart.”</p><p>“He'll get over it. We all do,” he spoke, wanting to believe his own words. He would never get over what he had done to you. How he had abandoned you, deeming your safety more important than his feelings. No matter how much his heart hurt, he kept reminding himself that it was for the best, but the guilt would always haunt him in his sleep. He stood there for a moment, watching the Child, before getting up and striding to Omera.</p><p>“Excuse me. Can I have a word?”</p><p>“Of course,” she replied, and he led her away from the others to talk to her in private. He knew that this was going to be an awkward conversation, but it had to be done.</p><p>“It's very nice here,” he began, trying to find the words.</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“I think it's clear he's... he's happy here,” he continued. <em>This is for the best. He needs to stay here and be safe.</em></p><p>“What about you?” Omera questioned, her eyes filled with affection.</p><p>“Me?”</p><p>“Are you happy here? We want you to stay. The community is grateful,” she spoke, and he could read between the lines. She was not talking about just the community, she was talking about herself. “You can pack all this away in case there's ever trouble. You and your boy could have a good life. He could be a child for a while. Wouldn't that be nice?”</p><p>“It would,” he replied, voice breaking, as he thought of you. The prospect of living a normal life, away from all the violence, the constant running, the danger. He wanted all of that. With you. Omera reached up to his helmet and placed her hands on it, beginning to lift. His Creed forbade him from ever removing the helmet in front of another living being, except for death or marriage, and he knew that he would never take that step with anyone but you. <em>No. There is only one person I would ever reveal my face to, and she is not here,</em> Din thought sadly, gently stopping the woman’s actions and shook his head.</p><hr/><p>“I don't belong here. But he does.” Omera looked at him, eyes now filled with sadness, understanding the hidden meaning behind his words. She was not the one he wanted, and she accepted that.</p><p>“I understand,” she said. “I will look after him as one of my own.” He was grateful, but the moment was short-lived at the sound of blaster fire. He turned and pushed Omera behind him, scanning the area.</p><p>“Go get the kids,” he commanded, and she immediately complied. He ran to where the sound originated and found Cara standing over a body. More accurately, the body of a bounty hunter. With his foot, he turned the smoldering body over to reveal a beeping tracking fob. <em>Dank farrik!</em> He thought as he picked up the device.</p><p>“Who is he tracking?” Cara inquired.</p><p>“The kid,” he answered, clutching the fob.</p><p>“They know he's here.”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Then they'll keep coming.”</p><p>“Yes,” he answered again, short and straight to the point. He gripped the fob in his hand tightly, crushing it, and began to walk back to the village.</p><p>“We need to leave,” he said over his shoulder, as Cara looked down at the corpse and then followed. The villagers had quickly helped him load his cargo onto the sled, the Child sitting there with curious eyes.</p><p>“Are you sure you don't want an escort?” Cara asked, walking up to them as he loaded some crates.</p><p>“I appreciate the offer. But we're gonna bypass the town and head right to the Razor Crest.” They needed to get off the planet as soon as possible, and he did not want to risk another possible run-in with a bounty hunter. The village had already gone through enough violence, and he did not want to drag them into another scuffle. One that was because of him.</p><p>“Well then,” Cara said, offering him her hand. “Until our paths cross.”</p><p>“Until our paths cross,” he repeated, shaking her hand. He watched Winta approach the cart and hug the Child.</p><p>“I'll miss you so much,” the little girl spoke. Omera stood beside her daughter, facing him.</p><p>“Thank you.” He wordlessly nodded and got into the sled. It began to move toward the forest and he and the Child watched the people grow smaller and smaller.</p><p>Hearing the distinct sounds of a ship, he tilted his head up in time to see one pass over the settlement. The ship appeared to be leaving the planet in a hurry, breaking through the atmosphere and shooting into space. As they crossed the tree line, Din felt a tug on his heart, like there was something about that ship that seemed strangely familiar. Drawing him in. He knew that he had never seen a ship like that before, having an impeccable memory. <em>So what is it? Why do I have this feeling?</em> He thought hard about why he suddenly felt strange when the ship flew by but came up with nothing. No explanation. No reasoning behind the mysterious shift in the air when he looked up at it.</p><p>His heart sped up at the only thought that came to mind.</p><p>
  <em>Could it have been you? But how?</em>
</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Little White Lies</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Dinah starts asking questions, and Reader reminisces. Life takes an unexpected turn.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warnings: Slow burn, ANGST, language</p><p>Song: Little White Lies by Florrie</p><p>Author's Note: Thank you, everyone, for your patience while I was gone! Hope you all like this chapter!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <hr/>
<h1>
  <strong> Reader’s POV</strong>
</h1>
<hr/><p>Life on Sacorria was just as you expected. It was another quiet, peaceful planet, and you were thankful. Life in the Core was as you expected, busy, bustling with energy, and full of opportunities. With your prior experience, you had gotten a job at the school where Dinah attended, and you were able to spend more time with her. She had loved playing with the other children, and you were a little surprised that she had moved on so quickly after leaving Sorgon. After all, it had only been three months since you had unexpectedly plucked her from the most enjoyable home you had been.</p><p>Your daughter relished in her new home and would tell you of her daily adventures, making you very happy. The settlement you resided in was a calm one, and everyone knew each other there, so you had no qualms about her leaving and wandering the streets to play with her friends. All the people in the village looked out for each other, especially for the children, and you were grateful. It reminded you very much of your time on Sorgon, just with more people and a more urban environment than rural. In a way, you had missed the busy life, always staying active, never having a dull day. Life at the school was wonderful, and you enjoyed working with the children there, and seeing your daughter grow up was just a bonus. You loved when she would recite all the information she had learned from the day’s lessons, and with each passing day, she was advancing past her classmates. It filled you with pride whenever a fellow teacher would comment on her progress or how she took every chance to ask questions and challenge her environment.</p><p>However, one day, her questions and thirst for knowledge took you off guard. That day, the children were assigned homework to write about what their fathers did. When Dinah had told you about the assignment, your heart dropped to your stomach.</p><p>“How was school today?” you had asked, as the two of you sat at the table, eating dinner.</p><p>“It was fun!” she replied with a grin. “Sierra and I drew, and Ms. Mimi said we’re artists in the making!” You smiled at her words.</p><p>“Oh yeah? What did you draw?”</p><p>“I drew a frog, and Sierra drew a tree,” came her reply. “Can I show you?”</p><p>“Once you’re done with dinner, sweetie.” She nodded and began to scarf down her food, eager to show her work to you. Once finished, she looked up at you with pleading eyes.</p><p>“May I be excused?” You nodded, and she jumped up from her chair with such force that it clattered to the ground. She looked at you with wide eyes as you raised an eyebrow at her.</p><p>“Sorry, mommy,” she mumbled, gingerly picking up the chair. Once it was in place, she turned and rushed to the other room, grabbing a stack of papers from her bag. She skipped back to you and settled herself in her seat, setting the pieces in front of you. You looked down and began to shuffle through them, admiring her work. For a five-year-old, she had a lot of talent and had drawn the frogs with detail.</p><p>“Very nice work, baby,” you praised, and she beamed at you. “Do you have any homework you need to get done?” At your question, her eyes dropped to the ground, and she began to fidget with her fingers.</p><p>“Yes,” she muttered, and you started to worry. “Ms. Mimi wants us to write about our dads and what they do, and then we are supposed to write about what our moms do next week.”</p><p>“Oh,” you awkwardly replied, your heart tightening in your chest. “I see.”</p><p>“But I don’t have a dad,” she sorrowfully added, bowing her head. You heard her let out a quiet sniffle, and you moved to sit beside her.</p><p>“Sweetie, you do have a dad,” you began, and her head snapped up at your words. “He’s just very busy right now.”</p><p>“Doing what?”</p><p>“He is off protecting the galaxy,” you replied with a half-truth and a sigh. <em>In a way, he is since he does go after criminals and the like. He just gets paid to do it instead of it coming from the goodness of his heart,</em> you thought. You hoped that she would drop the subject but had a feeling the conversation was far from over.</p><p>“From bad people?” You nodded your head, knowing that her curiosity was now piqued.</p><p>“Yes, he protects the galaxy from bad people,” you answered. “He protects you and me and many others.” Dinah beamed at the explanation.</p><p>“So, he’s like a Jedi?!”</p><p>“Not exactly,” you said with a chuckle. “Jedi aren’t around anymore, and he doesn’t have a lightsaber, but he does wear armor that protects him from all the bad people.” You were trying to maneuver the situation carefully, not wanting to give away the fact that she had already met him several years ago. Still, when her eyes lit up at the mention of armor, you knew she had made the connection.</p><p>“Like my friend Shiny?!” she exclaimed. You let out a breath, glad that she had not figured out that it was him that day.</p><p>“Yes, sort of like him,” came your response.</p><p>“Maybe Shiny knows my daddy!?” she bellowed, eyes wide with hope. Your heart clenched at her question. <em>She has no idea how close she is to the truth.</em></p><p>“Maybe,” you responded with a shrug.</p><p>“Mommy?”</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“Will you tell me about him?” Her question had caught you off guard yet again. She had never asked about <em>him</em> before, and now that her curiosity was piqued, you knew she would not let up until she got what she wanted.</p><p>“Sure, baby,” you replied with a tight smile. “Let’s see, where should I begin?”</p><p>“How you met him!” she proclaimed. You chuckled and shook your head at her excitement, the memory of your first meeting coming to the forefront of your mind.</p><p>“Alright, alright,” you said. “Well, we met when mommy was running from some very bad men.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong><em>-</em>FLASHBACK<em>-</em></strong>
</p><p>You were wandering the dark city streets of Serenno out of boredom when a brilliant idea came to mind. You were running low on credits and in the mood to wreak a little havoc tonight and knew precisely how you could achieve that. You navigated the alleyways near the market until you reached a hole-in-the-wall pub, quietly making your way inside. Upon your entry, you caught the eye of several men in the back corner, and you inwardly grinned as you gave them a shy smile. <em>Bingo.</em> They leered at you as you made your way to the counter and ordered a cup of spotchka, keeping a close eye on the men. <em>This should be fun.</em> You leaned up against the counter, arching your back to accentuate your backside, and waited. You were not disappointed when you heard the scraping of a chair against the floor, and a set of footsteps make their way toward you. You continued to pretend that you were oblivious to their presence when you felt someone stand beside you.</p><p>“What’s a pretty thing like you doing drinking all alone?” asked a gruff voice. You turned to face the source, and the sight of a half-drunk man eyeing you greeted you.</p><p>“I’m just waiting for a friend,” you timidly replied, concealing your true intentions, as you shifted your gaze to the coin purse dangling on his belt. <em>This is going to be too easy.</em></p><p>“Oh?” he stated, looking back at his friends. “Why don’t my friends and I come and keep you company?”</p><p>“Are you sure?” you questioned. “I’m new to this area, and I don’t feel comfortable waiting for them all by myself. But how do I know that I can trust you?”</p><p>“Not at all,” came his response, as he slung an arm over your shoulder. “My boys and I would gladly keep you company. You can trust us. We’re just looking out for ya.” You nodded and followed along as he moved you to the table and introduced you to his friends.</p><p>“This is Sio. That one over there is Jek, and I’m Darred,” the man stated, gesturing to his counterparts.</p><p>You took a seat next to them as they began to ask you questions, and you shyly replied each time, all the while taking note of where the other two kept their credits. They all had their money stored precariously on their belts, unknowingly making it easier for you to achieve your goal. You really wanted to sell the façade of being an innocent and naïve woman.</p><p>“So, where are you from?” Jek asked.</p><p>“Tatooine.”</p><p>“What’s a girl like you doing in a place like this?” came Sio’s question.</p><p>“I’m meeting a friend here.”</p><p>“Is this friend of yours meeting you soon?” Sio continued.</p><p>“I think so, but I think they’re running late.”</p><p>The men grew bolder and bolder with each question until one of them walked right into your trap.</p><p>“Do you wanna get outta here?” asked Darred. <em>Got him.</em></p><p>“Um-I-I should wait for my friend,” you replied, fidgeting with your fingers. Sio began to twirl a strand of your hair around his finger as Darred placed a hand on your thigh, and your blood ran cold. <em>I just have to keep pretending for a little longer, and then I can be rid of these disgusting creatures.</em></p><p>“We can help you look for them afterward,” came the Jek’s reply. “We promise it’ll be fun.”</p><p>“I don’t know…”</p><p>“We won’t hurt you,” Darred reassured.</p><p>“We’ll be gentle.” After several more efforts, you pretended to give in to their advances and gave a small nod.</p><p>“Okay.” The men grinned at each other as you all got up and made your way outside. They led you down a dark alleyway when Sio pushed you up against a wall, trapping you between his arms, while the other two stood guard on opposite sides of the corridor. You pulled your cloak tight around your frame, and your eyes began to dart back and forth, feigning nervousness. He mistook it for unease, but in fact, you were looking for an escape route once you finished with them.</p><p>“What’s the matter, sweetheart? Change your mind?” he teased. You shook your head and shivered as he leaned down and breathed on your face. The stench of alcohol and body odor filling your nose, and it took everything in you not to visibly gag.</p>
<hr/><p>He moved closer, and you decided that you had had enough of this charade. You took the opportunity to kick him between his legs, and he doubled over in pain, hands clutched over his lower region. You swiftly snatched his coin purse from his belt before Jek and Darred noticed the commotion. At the noise of their friend’s pain, they both looked, and anger spread across their faces. As they began to advance toward you, you grinned and spun the bag around your finger.</p><p>“I thought you boys wanted to have some fun?” you mocked. Jek reached you first, and you quickly moved out of his way, snatching the bag off his belt before dodging Darred and grabbing his. They both collided with their companion and turned to look at you, fury in their eyes.</p><p>“Well, this has been fun, gentlemen,” you taunted. “Thank you for the entertainment, but I must be going now.” With that, you spun on your heel and dashed out of the corridor. You heard them curse and run after you, but you were too quick, your reflexes and agility enabling you to lose them with ease. You darted down random streets, putting as much distance as you could between you and the trio, but as you rounded a corner, you collided with a solid object, throwing you slightly off balance.</p><p>“Oh, I am so sorry!” you exclaimed, looking up at the solid frame of a Mandalorian. You could hear the men growing nearer, and your body tensed.</p><p>“It’s no problem,” he replied, his voice was deep and rugged, sending a tingle down your spine. He tilted his head down to look at you, and you could only guess that he had the look of curiosity on his face.</p><p>“I – uh – am trying to get away from some people, so if you could excuse me,” you said, taking a step to the side. You heard the men’s voices and looked over your shoulder as they came into view, causing you to tense.</p><p>“There she is!” one of them shouted, pointing to you, and the other two turned to face you. <em>Shit.</em> The Mandalorian shifted to stand between you and the brutes, and a sense of relief flowed through you.</p><p>As they approached, you could see scowls on their faces. <em>Oh yeah, they are pissed about losing their money to a girl.</em></p><p>“Hey, buddy, back the fuck off,” Darred spat out, face red with annoyance.</p><p>“She’s with us,” Jek chimed in.</p><p>“It would seem that she disagrees,” The Mandalorian coolly replied, not intimidated by the men in the slightest. <em>I guess it makes sense. He has probably faced worse, </em>you thought. The three imbeciles growled as they took out knives and spread out, eyeing The Mandalorian wearily. You felt him slightly push you away, as if encouraging you to run, but you planted your feet. <em>No way in kriffling hell am I going to let him take these assholes alone.</em> He turned his helmet to catch your eye before returning to the men. Time seemed to freeze as the five of you waited for someone to make the first move.</p><p>Suddenly, Sio lunged, but The Mandalorian swiftly countered and hit him square in the chest, knocking him back. Jek was not far behind and went to strike the bounty hunter as Darred set his sights upon you and advanced. He took a swing at you, but you easily avoided it as you spun around to kick his legs. His blade fell to the ground, but he quickly recovered and took another swing at you. You leaned back, dodging his punch before you snatched his wrist and used his momentum to throw him down. As he fell, his hand managed to catch the edge of your cloak, and it fell from your body. You shivered as the cool air made contact with your exposed skin, but you paid it no mind. Instead, you focused on the two men that charged at the armor-clad man.</p><p>“Look out!” you yelled, and he quickly shot out a grappling hook, wrapping it around Jek’s legs, and pulled him down. Sio rushed at him, and you watched as he crouched and flipped the large man over his shoulder, throwing him on top of Darred with a thud.</p><p>Having bested the three of them, The Mandalorian finally turned to face you. You could feel his eyes studying you through the helmet, and you suddenly felt very self-conscious under his stare. <em>He is probably eyeing my tattoos,</em> you thought. <em>They are not exactly subtle.</em></p><p>“Where did you learn to fight like that?” he finally spoke.</p><p>“I - uh - I learned growing up,” you answered, awkwardly scratching the back of your neck as your face grew hot. “Thanks for that, by the way. I wouldn’t have been able to take all three of them on my own.”</p><p>“It’s not a problem. Three to two aren’t bad odds. I’ve been in worse,” your savior casually replied. You nodded as you turned to pick up your cloak and draped it over yourself before facing him again.</p><p>“I’d like to buy you a drink,” you said, wanting to thank him for his help. “It’s the least I can do.”</p><p>“There’s no need,” he responded with a shake of his head. “Though we should probably leave before they get up.”</p><p>“There must be some way I can repay you,” you pushed. “Do you need anything from the market? Supplies? Food?” You felt indebted to him and wanted to show your gratitude, but he was making it complicated.</p><p>“Are you any good with fixing up a ship?” he finally asked. You quirked an eyebrow at him before grinning. <em>I wonder where that thought came from.</em></p><p>“You’re in luck,” you replied, “I also grew up tinkering with ships and machines. Lead the way.” He turned and began walking to where you assumed his ship was.</p><p>As you trailed behind him, you could not help but think about who this mysterious man was. He had no obligation to defend you, a complete stranger, yet he had, and now you were on the way to help him fix his ship. The tracking fob on his belt gave away his occupation as a bounty hunter, and he seemed to be honorable. The way he carried himself radiated dominance, and he seemed to have a no-nonsense type of personality. However, aside from those observations, he was a complete mystery. One that you wanted to unfold.</p>
<p>
  <strong>-END FLASHBACK-</strong>
</p>
<hr/><p>“So that’s how we met,” you concluded, and her eyes were wide in awe. You had made sure to leave out a few details, like how you had robbed the men, not wanting to set a bad example for her.</p><p>“Wow!” she exclaimed. “Daddy protected you from the bad men, just like you said!” You nodded and gave her a half-smile.</p><p>“That he did,” you replied.<br/>
“But mommy,” she began, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. “Why did he leave us?” Your heart broke at her words, unsure of how to answer. You took a deep breath to gather your thoughts before answering her.</p><p>“Your daddy protects people in the galaxy, right?” She slowly nodded, confusion still swimming in her eyes. “Well, sometimes the people he protects everyone from want to hurt him, and he did not want them to hurt us.”</p><p>“But how come you never talk about him?” she questioned further. You gulped and tried to come up with another excuse.</p><p>“Well, mommy gets sad when she thinks about daddy,” you explained, the ache in your chest testament to that truth.</p><p>“But why?” she asked with a sniffle.</p><p>“It’s because I miss him so much,” you answered, pulling her to your side. “I miss him so much that it hurts, and I don’t want you to hurt too.” Tears threatened to spill from your eyes as you finally admitted the feelings you had worked so hard to push away.</p><p>“Do you think he misses us?”</p><p>“I’m sure he does,” you said, stroking her hair comfortingly.</p><p>“Enough to come back?”</p><p>“I don’t know, sweetheart.”</p><p>“Does he still love us? Does he not come back because he doesn’t love us anymore?” Her questions shattered your heart, and you choked back a sob, refusing to let her see your pain. The events on Sorgon flashed through your mind, and you clenched your jaw. You suspected that after all these years, he probably felt nothing for you, much less think about you. <em>He has probably moved on and settled down with Omera by now.</em></p><p>“Yes, baby,” you managed to finally croak out, the lie easily flowing from your lips. “Your daddy loves you, and don’t ever think otherwise, okay?” She let out another sniffle but nodded.</p><p>“Mommy?”</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“I hope he comes home one day,” she mumbled, leaning her head against your chest.</p><p>“Me too, honey. Me too.”</p><p>
  <em>Maker, I miss him. I miss him so much.</em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <strong> <em>-NINE MONTHS LATER-</em> </strong>
</p><p>It had been nine months since you had told Dinah of her parentage. She was saddened for the first few months after you had told her, hurt that he had left the two of you and had yet to meet him. However, over the last few months, she had come to accept things and gradually asked more questions about him. You had tried to answer them to your best ability, without feeling the pain that came with it, and so far, you had succeeded. She had asked about your many adventures with him, and you had told her of the times you had gotten to fly the Crest and even use his rifle. She had looked up at you in awe, hearing how you had also partaken in protecting people. In her eyes, you were a hero, but inside, you felt everything but that. You knew that you were not a protector of people. You had grown up in harsh conditions and had learned to fend for yourself, turning to tricking and robbing unsuspecting people and lying to your daughter regarding the true nature of your past left a sour taste in your mouth.</p><p>Aside from her constant curiosity about her father, she had grown to be more independent. After school on most days, she would venture through the village, playing with her friends, which gave you a moment’s reprieve from the long day. Due to the safety of the settlement, you rarely worried about her, knowing that the townspeople looked out for their own. Dinah enjoyed the afternoons of freedom, and she would always come home with a new story to tell. One afternoon, she had gone off with her friend Sierra and Kyp, and you were able to tidy your home in the silence. She had come home that evening bouncing through the door with such excitement that she was struggling to breathe.</p><p>“Dinah, take a deep breath, honey,” you had said with worry. She took in a large gulp of air before grinning at you.</p><p>“Momma, momma! Guess what!”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“I made a new friend!” She beamed up at you, teeth showing leftover pieces of what appeared to be an orange, and you smiled, shaking your head at her.</p><p>“Is that so?” you asked as you moved her head to wipe away some leftover nectar from the fruit.</p><p>“Mhm!”</p><p>“That’s very nice, sweetie,” you replied, not surprised that she had made yet another friend in the town. “Are you going to bring your new friend home so mom can meet them?” Since moving to your new home, you had made it a rule that Dinah had to bring over any new friend she would make. You had explained to her that it was not only for her safety but also for your own peace of mind, knowing who it was she would be spending time with. She had agreed, and from that day forth, she had dutifully honored that.</p><p>“Of course!” she answered. “Can I bring them tomorrow?”</p><p>“Yes, now go wash up; it’s almost time for dinner,” you instructed. Dinah whooped and ran to the bathroom, and you heard running water as she began to clean up. You shook your head at her antics and wondered who her new friend was. Due to the size of the village, you knew almost everyone there, but new settlers were also frequent.</p><p>The next evening, you had been preparing dinner and looked at the time, noticing that Dinah was not yet home. <em>That’s odd. She’s usually home by now.</em> You decided to give her more time before going out and looking for her. It was a rare occurrence, but sometimes she would get home late, and you had yet to have cause for worry. After about fifteen minutes, you heard the front door open and the pattering of her tiny feet, accompanied by a second set that was heavier than hers.</p><p>“Mommy!” she bellowed from the living room.</p><p>“Dinah, you should have been home earlier!” you scolded from the kitchen, and you heard the two sets of feet stop.</p><p>“Come meet my new friend!” she yelled, and you rolled your eyes. <em>She knew better than to shout inside.</em></p><p>“One second, sweetheart,” you called, placing the vegetables you had been chopping into a plate and wiped your hands.</p><p>You heard the whispering of voices as you walked to the living room, abruptly stopping at what greeted you. You took in the sight of a figure crouched down beside your daughter before they caught sight of you and slowly stood up. Your hands grew sweaty, eyes wide, both from shock and panic, and your body grew rigid. <em>No, it couldn’t be.</em> Your heart thundered in your chest, and your mouth went dry, the shine of Beskar filling your vision. You opened your mouth and then shut it several times, attempting to formulate words, but none came. Your head was spinning, a million thoughts racing through your mind, and your stomach twisted in a dozen knots. You heard him take a deep breath before your name quietly passed through his lips, confirming your suspicions. The sound of his voice rang through your ears and snapped you back to reality, and time seemed to slow as your body went limp, your knees buckling beneath you. You felt his arms catch you, stopping what would have been a hard impact with the ground, and you gazed up at the dark visor, feeling him smile sadly through it. The last thing you heard sent you down a rabbit hole of memories as your eyes rolled to the back of your head and you lost consciousness.</p>
<h2>“Hello, Cyar’ika.”</h2>
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